Oh Demon, My Demon
by xXCrownofChaosXx
Summary: One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.
1. Chapter 1

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Summary: One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else she knows. **

* * *

**Chapter 1: What We Bargained For...**

Monday morning.

The first day of Junior year for Tori and the gang.

The morning traffic at Hollywood Arts was nothing new to Tori and the others as they made their way towards their respective lockers. Among them, Jade made some snide comment about Tori's date the previous weekend ending disastrously when a spicy tuna ball landed in her hair. Beck and Andre rolled their eyes playfully while Cat mentioned something about her brother eating a glue stick under the belief it was string cheese.

Expectedly, everyone stopped to stare at her with raised eyebrows.

"So, did you know we're getting some new students?" Tori broke the awkward silence. "This is pretty exciting, right?"

"Yeah. About as exciting as getting a root canal." Jade responded before taking a sip of her coffee while her boyfriend wrapped an arm around her.

The Latina simply stared at the brunette trying her hardest to figure out whether Jade West was being sarcastic or truly sadistic. Her answer came in the goth raising her eyebrows seductively which only served to confuse her even more.

"Well, Jade's morbid comment aside, I can't wait to meet some of them. It'll be cool to meet the new blood's." Andre chimed in.

"Oh! My brother had to give blood one time. Unfortunately, he wound up being kicked out after he tried to drink it, thinking it was fruit punch."

Beck shook his head and asserted himself in the conversation. "I agree with Andre on this one. We should help the new kids feel at home here."

After a bit more chatter, they all agreed just as the bell began to ring, signaling their first period classes.

"Alright, well I hear there's supposed to be a welcoming committee at the Black Box later on. So maybe we can check them out after school?" Tori offered.

They murmured amongst themselves before separating down the halls to their respective classes. Having biology together, Jade and Beck walked together as the power couple they were; at least to the general public. Secretly, Jade was just there for the time being, barely stifling a giggle when she felt her loving boyfriend's lips press against her temple.

"Ready for class, Jade?" his calm and steady tone filled her ears.

She looks into those warm brown eyes, grinning softly before planting a quick kiss and flirtatious gaze before entering the classroom.

* * *

Half of the day passed by and lunchtime had arrived. The Asphalt Cafe immediately filled with a sea of hungry students eager to chow down and enjoy a break from the academic stress. Several vendors happily sold their tasty treats to the various teens without a care in the world. The mixture of new and returning students poured in and grab their favorite/soon to be favorite, meals.

During this time, Jade was busy talking with Cat about an upcoming play that Sikowitz was going to run in the coming month, the latter not paying attention to her surroundings.

"So, do you think that you'll get the leading role this semester?" the bubbly Cat asked enthused as usual.

"Of course." the goth took a long sip of her mid-day coffee. "Why wouldn't I?"

Jade wouldn't get the answer to her question though as she bumped into something or rather someone.

"Oof!" she heard a male voice grunt as he stumbled back a bit before noticing the pale-skinned girl frowning across from him. He opened his mouth to apologize only to notice everyone nearby grew silent and were frozen like statues. If he didn't know better, he would've sworn that time had stopped. "Sorry about that..."

Rolling her eyes, the girl simply turned around and began to walk away, much to everyone's relief. "Watch where you're going, loser!"

To the astonishment (or fear, depending on how you view the situation) of everyone, Liam spoke up. "Maybe you should watch where YOU'RE going.." he growled.

She stopped abruptly at the response from this no-name student. shifting her body, she flashed her signature scowl and stormed back towards the boy who stood his ground. Her teal eyes flashed from annoyed to full out wrath as she was now mere inches from what the other students believed to be her next victim. "I'm sorry. I don't think I heard you..."

"Jade...?"

"Stay out of this, Cat!" she snapped, returning her attention to the poor soul in waiting. "Now would you care to repeat that?"

"I think you heard me quite clearly."

This was a first for Jade.

Normally, whoever she was confronting would already be begging for forgiveness, pissing their pants, or both. Instead, she was staring into the defiant eyes of the unknown boy mere feet away from her. She'd be impressed if this encounter had occurred in private but, considering they were under the curious and fearful gazes of her peers, she wouldn't allow herself to feel anything other than stubbornness.

"Then, it's pretty clear that you're just dumb..." she shot back, a cocky smirk adorning her face.

"Or maybe I'm just not the pushover type." He crossed his arms lazily, an equally stubborn grin on his features. "I was about to apologize until you started acting like a gank."

Considering she'd never seen him around campus, she assumed (correctly) that he was one of the newbies to arrive and needed to be shown the ropes. It was truly her day as she scanned the area only to find no sign of Beck or the others around aside from an eerily silent Cat. She was free to show this guy what happens when you cross Jade West.

With a sly grin, she reached behind her skirt and rushed at him only to catch him mirroring her actions.

"Jade!"

The shriek from the red-haired girl stunned the two in their tracks, forcing them to turn to the now tearful and worried Cat Valentine. Pulling their gazes from her, they noticed the situation they were currently in. The boy could feel the sharpened tip of a rather long pair of scissors against his Adam's apple while Jade looked at the tight grip he had on her wrist.

"What are you two doing?!" a male voice broke through the sea of students, revealing himself to be none other than Lane. "You both! Principal's office, NOW!"

* * *

Tori stood by her locker alongside Andre and Robbie (w/Rex) when Beck and Cat arrived from around the corner. She signaled them over only to flash a confused gaze.

"Um... not that I'm complaining, but where's Jade?" she asked.

Beck rolled his eyes while Cat remained suspiciously quiet.

"Apparently, she got caught threatening one of the new students and is supposed to be serving detention. She probably won't be joining us in meeting the others." he rubbed the back of his neck, ignoring the look of terror from Andre, Tori, Robbie, and even Cat. It was no secret that Beck's girlfriend had a nasty temper, but to know she literally threatened someone's life and more so, that poor soul thought it best to test her in the first place...?

That was unheard of.

"Well, I hope that person isn't traumatized too much," Tori muttered with concern.

"To be honest, I hope he learned his lesson..." he retorted casually. "...he should've known better than to piss her off."

"He was just defending himself..." Cat finally revealed meekly, drawing the other's attention to her. "Jade and I were talking about Sikowitz's new play when she bumped into him. He was about to apologize when Jade snapped off on him. Instead of cowering, he just talked back and the other kids were watching so..."

"So, Jade sought to protect her rep...?" Andre finished, earning a nod from the unicorn loving girl.

"Sounds like our Jade..." Tori admitted to a chorus of her agreeing friends.

Unfortunately, before they could press the issue further, Tori's pear pad went off, signaling it was time to head to the theatre. The atmosphere of uneasiness would only serve as a stepping stone as they crossed the threshold into the room. Still, they would be remiss to ignore Jade's antics and the fate of the poor unfortunate soul.

* * *

Jade West slouched in her seat, a mixture of frustration and adrenaline creating a storm throughout every fiber of her being. Beside her sat the young man who dared stand up to her; clearly he didn't know the hierarchy of things around Hollywood Arts.

Neither would face each other, let alone speak with one another after the outbreak nearly escalated in the courtyard earlier. Various students passed them by, murmurs and whispers aplenty, and it only served to drag the time to a snails crawl. Behind the door to Principal Helen's office, a flustered man continued to prattle on about 'deviant behavior' and 'endangering the student body'.

While neither seemed to show any sign of remorse, Jade took a moment to cut her gaze at the guy who defied her dominance. Taking in his profile, she could detect the faint stubble on his defined chin and jawline. With his jacket stripped from him, she could tell that he was well in shape. His dark grey shirt practically hugged his body perfectly, eliciting a slight blush from her. Her eyes began to wander a bit until he turned his gaze over to her, noticing her awkward analysis.

"Can I help you?" she could feel no emotion in his voice as he simply raised an eyebrow.

Although she was taken aback, gone was the sense of wonder, replaced only with arrogance and pride.

"You most certainly can," she replied with a mocking tone. "You can help by not breathing."

Even she felt her words were a bit harsh, she wasn't about to let this wannabe tough guy one-up her again. It was petty at this point. Still, she just accepted the 'old habits die hard' motto and pressed.

"I don't know what run-down school you come from, but there are some ground rules here that you need to know," Jade took a pause to see if he'd give a snarky reply only to find his head propped up on his fist. His expression, at first glance, retained its bored expression but, when she analyzed further, she could detect the hint of... amusement? She mentally shook off the nonsensical idea and chose to resume her lecturing. "Rule number one: I'm at the top of the food chain here. I don't care how big and bad you thought you were at your old school. These hallways all fear me... I'm the top dog."

"So, what's rule two?" he yawned, rather abruptly, completely ignoring the fierce glare she was flashing at him.

Jade simply brandished her signature evil smirk. "Follow that first rule, and the rest will come naturally..."

For the first time since meeting him, she watched his lips curve upwards into a dark grin that mirrored her own. This caused a visible shift in Jade's iron will as her eyes widened in shock. While it was simple smirk to anyone else, it was actually the look in his eyes that caused such a break in her defense. The coldness in his eyes somehow made her feel hot; it was like being buried in a sauna with the temperature constantly rising.

Only the lone bead of sweat brought her back to the present moment.

He was still thinking this was a game and it was driving her crazy to no end. She was Jade West! Everyone who wasn't in her signature circle feared her very presence and yet, this guy wasn't even flinching. The only other person who challenged her was her boyfriend, Beck but even he would resign to her will every so often. This was blatant disregard she was witnessing and it was building her interest in him.

"I'm more than happy to show you the consequences again." she taunted, though her tone lacked the conviction it once held.

Things seemed to be going further south as the sounds of chuckles caused the brunette's lips to twist into a tight frown. Her next move at this point would be to pull out a hidden pair of scissors but they were all confiscated earlier by the guidance counselor. In the midst of her irritation, the office door opened to reveal Lane, Sikowitz, and a clearly irritated Helen.

Neither said a word as the three turned their attention towards them.

"You two are in a lot of trouble..." Principal Helen scolded, prompting the teens to avert their eyes away.

"Liam, you've managed to get involved in a serious altercation that could've resulted in injury..." a worried Lane began. "...that's not to say that you are solely to blame. Jade, you have a past of inciting these incidents whenever you're put on the spot. You both have to learn to channel your anger through positive means."

Both looked at one another in an attempt to make sense of his babbling when Helen stepped forward.

"What this means is that you both will be serving detention, effective immediately." seeing no reaction, the Principal furrowed her brow. "Also, in lieu of expulsion for using deadly weapons, Sikowitz has spoken on your behalf's and suggested you both participate in the showcase as part of your punishment."

"What?!/Are you kidding me?" Jade and Liam both yelled respectively.

A stone-faced Helen nodded and began to head back to her office without another word. This left them to get the details of their punishment from the wacky teacher and guidance counselor.

"I suggest that you both find a duet and start rehearsing. You'll be barred from participating in any other extracurricular activities until after the Kickback. Lastly, you two are required to attend duel counseling with Lane once a week. Hopefully, you both learn a valuable lesson from this..." Sikowitz pointed.

Without another word, both students would flash one more dirty look before grabbing their bags and heading towards their lockers, which coincidentally, they shared. Both men let out a flustered sigh as they could hear Jade's voice echo down the hall as she mentioned about 'being followed'.

"This is going to be an interesting rest of the year..." Lane chuckled.

"I rue the day when their 'partnership' disintegrates..." Sikowitz grumbled in response as he made his way to his classroom, leaving behind an amused guidance counselor.

* * *

"This can't get any worse..." a certain goth grumbled while heading to her car.

After the lecture from the authoritative figures, she opted to stay behind and check out the upcoming productions happening after her probation period concluded. Sadly, with everything happening near the end of the day, she miscalculated the time it would take up, only realizing after seeing the sun setting. With homework and the prospect of having to come up with an idea for the rookie showcase, she was beyond annoyed.

She turned the key in the ignition, springing the vehicle to life and pulling off.

However, before she could cross the first light, her eyes caught sight of something suspicious...

...or rather someone reentering the school.

"That guy again?"

Swiftly she turned the car around the corner, determined to find out what the boy was up to.

* * *

Liam, who was still trying to process the day, had finally gotten through the first day and couldn't wait to head home and work on the loads of homework he'd been assigned. He managed to find his locker, still blank at this point, but was stopped when he heard what appeared to be various boys laughing and a dark presence haunting his soul.

Against his better judgment, he followed the sounds, careful not to alert anyone just in case he had to fight. After cutting a couple of corners, he could see multiple male shadows hovering over another shadow that looked to be kneeling inside of an abandoned classroom. He slipped inside, hiding behind an old busted cabinet that allowed him to remain just out of sight should anyone enter or exit the room.

'The hell did I just walk into?' he asked himself as another boy slapped the kneeling figure unconscious.

"Our first day, and already we're getting some good brain from a slut without one."

The disgusting sight was more than enough for him to want to vomit but, he kept his cool as best he could. However, this wouldn't end well when a certain goth burst through the door, catching the deed in action.

_Jade?!_ he looked on in dread and worry as the trio turned their attention to her.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

It was at that moment, Liam felt it; that evil presence beginning to worm its way out of him. Something wasn't right with those boys and Jade was about to get caught up in the middle of things. Without another word, he rushed from his hiding spot as the three gathered in front of them, shocking them all.

"You?"

"You shouldn't be here, Jade!" he growled at the girl. "I'll handle these tools..."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on."

Liam wouldn't get a chance to debate her as the dimly lit room suddenly became shrouded in a dark black and purple aura freezing everything outside of it. Thankfully for Jade, she was directly behind the boy, thus protecting herself from the outside effects. However, what she heard next made the girl question whether being frozen in time was really so bad.

**"Atsura..."** one of the boys called out in a voice unlike his own. **"So, you finally answered our invitation."**

"How could I not? I could smell your stench literally a mile away..."

**"You flatter us! Now, we can get this game underway."**

Jade wonder just what were they talking about when suddenly the boys opened their mouths, releasing a dark mist. Much to the horror of Jade and the chagrin of Liam, the mist began to take the shape of a blob that soon began to form a grotesque bat-like creature. Its eyes glowed a dark amber, mimicking the fires of hell while its teeth were like razor-sharp spikes.

"What the hell is that thing?!"

"Stay back, Jade..."

"I'm not going-"

"I promise I'll tell you what's going on but, I need you out of the way!" She wanted to object his demand, but one quick glare, even eviler than the one she'd seen mere hours ago shut that down. Silently, she nodded and took a few steps back. "I'll end this in no time at all."

**"Ready for me to rip the flesh from your bones?"** The beast growled gleefully as Liam stepped forward, chuckling to himself. **"Wha...? What's so funny?"**

"Nothing. I was just going to ask you the same thing..." he replied with the tiniest of smirks.

This infuriated the monster, prompting it to raise its blade-like wing to strike. Bringing it back down at lightning speeds, Liam simply stood where he was, not even bothering to flinch. In the background, Jade looked on quietly at what was unfolding before her. In the time it would take her to blink, the spot where Liam was standing was now empty save for a small crater left behind from the impact.

**"Where'd you go, little piss ant?"** The bat hissed, searching all around for the green-eyed human.

"Behind you..." The creature twisted its body, readying another swipe only to hit nothing but air. This continued for several minutes, showing that Liam was merely playing with his ugly beast. "Too slow..."

**"Stop running, coward!"**

Obliging the irate bat, the boy simply cleared his throat. "Who's running, Xilai? I was merely trying to see if you were worth me going all out."

**"What?"**

"Spoiler: You're not even worth 5% of my power."

**"You half-breed brat!"**

Jade watched in horror as the larger monster brought its razor-sharp wings down on the defenseless boy in shock. This time, instead of disappearing as he'd done before, Liam stretched out his hand, catching the incisive limb between his fingers. Another wing and the same occurred with his free hand, causing the one called Xilai to struggle to get free. It was clear to her that whoever or whatever Liam was, there would be no doubt that he was the stronger one between the two.

"This is all the strength you have and you had the nerve to summon me?" Liam asked, his voice low and devoid of emotion.

For the first time since making its appearance, Xilai expressed fear.

**"Wait... Wait!"**

"Of all the minions crawling around the depths, you thought you'd be the one to destroy me?! You actually thought you'd be the one to **DESTROY ME?!**"

**"Please, spare me! I humbly apologize... I mistook my place, prince Atsura!" **The sniveling bat trembled, lowering itself to the dominant being standing before it. **"Forgive me. I beg of thee!"**

Rolling his eyes, Liam released his hold on Xilai's wings, glaring softly at the pathetic creature at his feet. However, despite this, he turned his back to it, walking away. It was the human side of Liam taking precedence over his actions now as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"You're lucky that I'm in a good mood tonight. I have homework to do and an unwanted explanation to give. If you value your existence, I suggest you get out of my sight quickly, demon."

**"Yes. I understand... However," **In a flash, the bat demon rushed in his direction only, it wasn't aiming for Liam this time. Instead, when he turned around, Xilai flew past the boy, focusing its attention toward none other than the pale human girl. **"I WON'T BE LEAVING EMPTY HANDED!"**

With bloodlust in its eyes, the hellfire eyes of the bat blurred as a helpless felt her own body freeze in terror. Unseen before, sharp talons emerged from under the bladed wings, eager to sink into human flesh; perfect for extracting a human's soul.

Jade wanted to scream, but her voice wouldn't respond to what her brain was telling it to do. The only thing she could manage to do was hold her hands out in a futile attempt to stop the demonic being from harming her. Eyes closed, Jade was greeted, not by the sharp pain of the beast's claws but its cries of rage. When she finally did open her eyes, she was met with the image of Liam standing in front of her, and a great amount of blood splashing in the air.

He shielded her; Liam protected her...

**"No! You bastard!"**

Those would be its final words spoken. In an instant, Liam's green eyes flashed a deep shade of amethyst before turning and ripping the Xilai's limbs from its body. Ear-splitting shrieks echoed in the dark dome as the demon stumbled back in excruciating pain. Enlarged purple hands now held the demon's weapons of choice. It fell on its back hissing and writhing in defeat while the eyes of the half-demon glowed with furious wrath.

**"Go back to the depths and tell your master this, fool. Do better..."**

With that said, Xilai began to fade into nothing. Soon, the teens watched as the dome began to disappear as well, leaving them in the originally abandoned theater. If Jade hadn't seen all that happened with her own eyes, she would've thought herself crazy. As she rubbed her eyes, the only ones left were herself, and the unconscious (and half-exposed) boys and girl on stage.

Seeing the latter beginning to stir, Jade suddenly realized:

Liam was gone.

Repeatedly her mind continued to wonder if she actually saw all that occurred or if she had imagined it all.

"Jade?" teal eyes looked at a confused Trina Vega rubbing her head. "What happened?"

_That's a good question, Vega... _Jade bit her lip nervously.

* * *

After vanishing on Jade, Liam shuffled down the street as quickly as he could; each step putting more distance between him and Jade. In his eyes, Jade saw too much. He had no intention of being exposed but, thanks to that damned girl showing up when she did, he had no choice. All of this mulled over in his head as he walked down a back alley, a precaution taken just in case Jade happened to chase after him.

"Hiding from someone?" The mysterious voice forced him to turn, taking on a defensive stance only to find a young woman standing across from him. "Relax. It's just me!"

"What are you want, Lucille?"

"I need a reason to check on my bone-headed brother?"

Shaking his head, he sighed heavily.

"I'm not some baby that you have to monitor my every move."

"Regardless, you're my brother, Atsura..."

**"Don't call me that!"**

Out of nowhere, the boy snapped, rushing at the slightly older woman in a fit of rage. However, while anyone else would've been scared out of their pants, Lucille simply blocked the attack. In the span of a second, she had not only blocked the wrathful punch but also managed to slip in a well-timed kick to the stomach, knocking him back several feet, ripping the concrete from the ground in the process.

This did little to defer the teen as he looked back at the woman with spite in his now glowing eyes. His teeth grew jagged and an amethyst aura began to swirl around him, much to his sister's chagrin. Steadying herself, Lucille did the only thing she knew would get through to him. Channeling her own aura, she mirrored his bestial appearance only instead of two glowing eyes, she sprouted horns that twisted like that of a ram's while a single vertical eye opened in the middle of her forehead.

Then they clashed.

Quick as lightning.

Powerful like thunder.

Liam, or rather Atsura, used the heat of his anger while Lucille's cold and calculative attacks countered them at every turn. Knowing that there was little room to do real damage, the latter took the fight to the skies physically overpowering the younger half-demon. His speed was truly formidable but, his moves were predictable; she was his sister after all.

One opening was all it took as she dodged a kick that gave her ample opportunity to knock him into a wooded region nearby. As expected, several trees were snapped by the sheer force of impact. Flying to the scene, Lucille descended slowly on the recovering form of her brother.

"Have you calmed down now?"

"Ow! Did ya have to hit me that damn hard?" he responded, pushing a thick and heavy branch off of himself.

"Wouldn't have had to do that if you hadn't lost your temper earlier..." she shook her head.

Picking a twig out of his locs, he chuckled bitterly.

"Sorry about that..."

"You can apologize by cleaning your room and coming home on time..." she put her hands on her hips, shedding her stern persona with a grin. "Now, get out of that rubble and let's go home. I made gumbo tonight to celebrate your first day at school."

Ready to protest, Liam's stomach eagerly cheered at the mention of the night's dish.

"Alright..." he grumbled, albeit playfully.

Helping him up, the two would embrace briefly before making their departure from the dark woods into the blackness of the trees.

_Talk about an interesting day..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Of Kittens & Serpents**

It had been about a week since the first day of school, and the halls of Hollywood were abuzz with various conversations. A transparently annoyed Jade groaned as she fiddled through her scissor decorated locker. Throughout that first week, her mind was filled with questions, specifically about a certain new student and demons. Trouble was that every time she tried to confront the boy, he was never around. Outside of their mandatory detention or classes, Jade could never pin that guy down long enough to interrogate him which only served to piss off the goth more and more with each passing day.

She found her books for her afternoon classes and slammed the door, prompting any unfortunate soul to scurry along as quickly as their feet could carry them. She simply rolled her eyes and forged her way towards the Black Box Theatre when suddenly the sound of piano keys playing caught her ears.

She continued on until she reached the front door. It was at the moment, it stopped momentarily just as she placed her hand on the door frame. Her nerves were on edge as she found herself growing more and more suspicious as time seemed to become irrelevant. Once she realized what she was doing, she shook the feeling off and entered conveniently as the music started again.

When she entered, she noticed that it was, in fact, the very person she'd been trying to catch playing on the standard grand piano usually hidden behind the secondary curtain. He didn't seem to notice her arrival as he continued playing for a few more moments then took a breath.

Fortunately, he hadn't noticed her as he was too engrossed with making sure that he didn't miss a single key; the perfect opportunity.

At that moment, she began to live up to her moniker and clapped softly, just loud enough for Liam to stumble along with the keys and look back with a panicked look etched on his face. He clutched his chest only to exhale sharply once he confirmed who it was.

"Oh, it's you," he grumbled amidst her triumphant giggle. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to spy on people?"

Crossing her arms, she tapped a finger on her chin about three times playfully, before shrugging. "Didn't occur to me. Then again, following the rules were never my forte." Her reply predictably earned her an eye roll, much to her delight.

"Honestly, it's like you survive on causing misery," he argued, although his tone had a teasing manner which didn't go unnoticed by her. It was uncanny how in the span of about a week, she found herself being somewhat friendly to someone she considered an annoyance. It was as if a certain charm in had gone unnoticed up to this point. However, she didn't have time to dwell on her piqued interest as reality set in for both of them.

"Yeah, well we have to perform a song for the showcase and fortunately, you're paired with the best so you can ride my coattails to a passing grade," she noted with a smug tone lacing her words. This only seemed to spark something inside Liam, resulting in their earlier tension resuming its charge over the two.

Now it was his turn as a sly smirk began to form on his lips.

"I wasn't aware that Tori would be joining us."

As he predicted, Jade's lips twisted downward. "Excuse me?"

Despite the warning tone, Liam couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. This, of course, brought out Jade's dark side as she reached into her boots and tossed a pair of her favorite scissors at the unsuspecting guy. However, instead of dodging or ducking, the boy instead caught the scissors between two fingers as if it were a piece of paper.

"What the hell?!" he growled.

"How the hell did you just...?!" she retorted, equally shocked.

That's when the realization struck them both; Jade hadn't imagined that night. Throughout that entire week, Jade had tried to convince herself that she had actually witnessed everything in the old theater room. Finding an unconscious Trina Vega on the stage. The trio of sophomores. A black mist. Demon bats. It all happened including...

"You! You..." she pointed accusingly.

_Here we go..._

"You promised me!" she bared her teeth, confusing Liam.

"What?"

"You promised to tell me everything!" Liam just stared at the goth girl blankly, trying to make sense of what was unfolding.

_Is she really pissed about me not telling her what happened?!" _

"You were supposed to tell me what was with that thing only to disappear and worse, leave me thinking I was going insane for a whole week!"

_Okay, that makes more sense..._ he nodded inwardly. "Look, I'm sorry for vanishing on you like that. But you have to understand..."

"What? That one of my classmates is some monster..."

"Demon."

"...who can take on bigger creatures..."

"Demons." he corrected, growing more annoyed by the second.

"...while, what?"

Setting down the rather sharp scissors, Liam sat on the edge of the stage with arms crossed.

"I'm a demon. Well, I'm a half-demon to be exact."

"Half-demon?" she raised an unconvincing eyebrow.

"Yep. That thing was another demon assigned to take me out. What you saw was one demon beating another, nothing else. Happy?"

Now it was Jade's turn to burst out laughing after hearing his explanation. In truth, it was rather funny to her yet, the expected humorous reaction from Liam himself never surfaced. His face remained serious as he rested his hand on his fist.

"You're serious?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Jade wanted to point out that he was a better actor than most, but one look in his emerald eyes told the girl that this wasn't some ruse or joke. Now sporting a bored expression, Liam grabbed his bag just as the bell rang. "I need to go. I have Geometry this period..."

"Wait!" she turned to him, her arms crossed under her breasts. "Prove it. Right now."

Once more, Liam's lips curled up into a confident grin.

"Why should I when you already know the truth?" he replied, flashing the glow of amethyst that was all too recognizable before exiting the Black Box. "See ya after school."

* * *

Some hours later, Liam would find himself waiting for Jade in Sikowitz classroom. His foot tapped against the carpet of the stage while his eyes remained fixated on the lone door to the room. She was half an hour late and he was seriously contemplating leaving to go home. As far as he knew, she was probably with her boyfriend, or just plain forgot.

"Just my luck, my rehearsals are somehow a punishment..." he chuckled bitterly.

The clock's ticking only assisted his descent into madness. He had begun to lose himself in his own world when the sound of the doorknob jiggling snapped him out of it.

"It's about time-" he was tapping his foot at this point and scowling darkly at this point only to find that it wasn't who he was expecting. Rather than the pale girl with purple streaks, he was met with the sight of a much shorter girl with scarlet hair rushing in, almost in a panic.

"Eep!" she squealed finally noticing his presence.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you..."

To his amazement, she simply flashed a shy smile before immediately rushing behind him, anxiously gripping the back of his hoodie. Liam wondered who could have the adorable girl in such a frightful state. A sudden chill in the air gave him a clue as to what was approaching them.

_Not here... not now._ he grits his teeth before turning his attention to the scared red-head. "Hurry and find a place to hide."

"But..."

"I'll take care of this. Just hide so you don't get hurt. Okay?"

She nodded without further protest after seeing the determined look in his eyes. She rushed off and hid in the nearby closet behind them, allowing him to focus on the looming threat; another demon was near. The cold air around him was followed by the familiar appearance of a dark aura forming around him. This was just like the previous week when he ran into Jade.

"Cold air? In California?" he exhaled, seeing his own breath in the air. "I'd be flattered if not for the over-the-top flare..."

The handle jiggled before twisting open the doorway to reveal a subjugated student, some character named Ryder Daniels. A black aura shrouded his body while his eyes were blank with a greyish glow to it. Each step he took was like a demented zombie as his body twitched as if he had Tourette's. Once inside the classroom, the demonic dome had finally closed, thrusting the two in a spiritual time-loop.

"What can I say?" A wicked grin stretched across the possessed boy's face as his head cracked to the side. "I try to make a noticeable impression."

Green eyes narrowed at the insane figure before him, clearly not amused at the joke.

"Clearly. Now, what do you want, Ahrya?"

**"Aww... You remember me!"** the voice suddenly shifted to that of a sultry young woman. **"You don't know how happy that makes me, Atsura!"**

"It's hard to forget someone who took great pleasure in other's pain. The question is why are you in this guy's body?"

**"Is that really what you want to ask me?"**

"I could always skip to kicking your ass," he bore his canines at the entity controlled human.

**"Hmph... Always the angry and aggressive type," **she pouted before shedding her temporary physical shell, revealing a full-figured olive-skinned woman. With long brown flowing hair and the traditional flame-like orbs, her wicked grin also revealed intrigue in the young man standing mere feet away from her. **"I like that..."**

Liam flinched slightly but quickly regained his composure.

"I don't give a damn about what you like! What are you doing here?" he snarled.

The scantily clad demoness sighed softly.

**"Whether you believe me or not, I'm not here for a fight. In fact, You're not the reason I came here at all."**

"If not me, then what are you looking for?"

His inquiry brought a smug grin on Ahrya's face that threatened to split her face in two as her eyes cut to the closet next to the entryway.

**"Not what... Who."**

"Wait!"

It was too late. In a flash, she managed to rip the door open in this pocket realm, eager to claim her prize. Imagine their surprise when only the sight of various books in crates was found. Ahrya wasn't pleased with this discovery or lack thereof and swiftly twisted her body back to the half-demon who seemed equally shocked.

**"Where is she?!"** she hissed, eyes glowing fiercely. **"Where is the girl?!"**

For the first time since her arrival, Liam felt confident. Crossing his arms, he hardened his glare, flexing his own demonic aura at the feminine entity.

"How should I know? I was prepared for a fight, not a scavenger hunt..." A reptilian tongue flew past her lips, signifying her evergrowing rage at missing out on the one she sought to claim. "I suggest you get that temper of yours checked out. I hear it's not good for the skin.."

**"Make your jokes! But if I find out you had something to do with me losing my prey, my skin will be the least of your concerns."**

A large puff of smoke swirled appeared around Ahrya, followed by the abrupt disappearance of the female demon. Soon, even the concavity began to dissipate, leaving only Liam and the unconscious body of Ryder Daniels behind. Once any trace of the demonic realm was gone, Ryder began to stir, groaning to himself about 'missing the party', much to Liam's annoyance.

"What happened?"

"You passed out..." he replied dismissively. "I was just about to call the nurse when you woke up."

The thumping in his head said it all, forcing the wannabe lady's man to stumble out of Sikowitz's classroom. Even still, there was still a more pressing matter to attend to. What happened to the red-haired girl? He was so sure that she ran into the closet and yet, she was nowhere to be found.

"Sorry, Liam.." an all too familiar voice drew him from his inner thoughts. "...I was busy serving detention for nearly stabbing Sinjin with... What's up with you?" Azure eyes narrowed at the still stunned appearance of her forced partner-in-crime.

"Nothing, I came in here looking for something and um... I ran into that girl with the red hair earlier but, she just dashed out of here like a madwoman." he lied.

"You're talking about Cat? She does things like that often, so I wouldn't worry too much."

"Hmm... I guess. But it was still a little shocking."

"Yeah. You'll get used to that once you see her antics enough times." Jade chuckled softly but swiftly ignored the air of suspicion creeping up on her. "Alright, demon boy, let's get started. We have less than a week to get this performance together and we still have work to do on the music chemistry."

Liam could only nod in agreement but his mind would continue to playback what had occurred. Little did he know, the girl known as Cat Valentine had slipped through a hidden room from the closet that gave her access to another room deep in the Black Box theater. Sitting in the safe haven of her former home away from home, she curled up, pondering a simple question.

_Why was that name so familiar?_

* * *

After rehearsal, Liam oddly enough declined her offer for a ride, citing that he had one arriving soon. In truth, he was still a little uncomfortable around the girl who now knew about what he truly was; plus they weren't exactly friends either. Still, he was polite in his rejection to which she shrugged and eventually drove away while he returned inside the school to grab the sheet music for their duet.

Meanwhile, Jade had a lot to think about after discovering Liam's true identity. He was a half-demon named Atsura and... she literally witnessed him mauling another demon before her very eyes. To say that all of that was a major pill to swallow would be an understatement. Eventually, her musing brought her to her home.

Jade entered her rather large home, hearing and seeing no signs of life within the manor.

"Mom? Dad...?" she called out only to hear dead silence.

Nobody was home...

Kicking off her combat boots, she rushed upstairs to her room, stopping to use the bathroom along the way. Her room was rather large and a bit unique to say the least. In homage to her favorite villain Joker, her room was decorated in dark purple and green. Her queen-size bed, wallpaper, even some stuffed animals fit the color scheme. She peered through the roomy, but also lonely room and plopped on the bed almost wishing she had insisted on Liam taking her offer for a ride; at least she'd have something interesting to talk about.

It's not like she liked the guy, but there was something in him that kept her both irritated yet fascinated as well.

"Maybe next time." her voice exuded disappointment. She proceeded to change out of her school clothes, fitted in only her purple bra and panties that accentuated her curves perfectly. "Then again, I wouldn't be able to flaunt around like this if I had." she mused to herself.

_Are you so sure?_ her inner voice taunted.

"I'm taken," she quietly chanted.

The sound of her phone ringing spared the goth from having to have an inner dialogue. Checking her phone, she picked up shortly after, intrigued to talk to the person on the other side.

"What do you want?"

"Jadey? Are you at home?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I really need someone to talk to..."

Hearing the desperation behind the person's voice, Jade sighed.

"Give me 20 minutes, okay?"

* * *

With another passing, the Rookie Showcase had finally arrived.

As the night blanketed the sky, students began to file into the quad. Some would find themselves ordering food from the Grub Truck while others interacted with anticipation for what they would see.

Tori, Andre, and the others except for surprisingly Jade and Robbie, the latter who was finishing up with the set-up on stage, all met up together next to a ridiculously large cheese fountain. Cat giggled and bounced at the sight, much to the amusement of her friends. Beck was uncharacteristically silent for the most part as they all discussed the possible talents they could witness. He'd been missing spending time with Jade and this was just his way of showing support for his girlfriend.

"Welcome students to this years, Rookie Showcase!" a delighted Helen grinned from ear to ear. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers before dying down, allowing her to speak once more. "Tonight, you'll have the pleasure of getting to see your newest classmates, along with some familiar faces, in their most natural element as they perform for your votes!"

The students murmured amongst one another before Helen cleared her throat.

"Whoever wins tonight will earn the honor of being the first-ever Prince & Princess Hollywood Arts. Now without further ado, Mr. Sikowitz, let's get this show on the road!"

Tori and the other's watched as Sikowitz introduced the first few groups, including Ryder and his freshman pals who performed a below-average rendition of Michael Jackson's "Bad" which earned them a rather generous amount of applause. Considering nobody prior to them had fared any better, they seemed to be a shoo-in for those votes. Andre and Tori clapped solely out of pity. Cat Valentine simply looked on in confusion while Beck just yawned out of sheer boredom.

It wasn't until Sikowitz reappeared that their interest would be piqued.

"Thank you for that... interesting rendition, boys. I'm sure the King of Pop would feel... something..." the teacher smiled awkwardly as the trio waved at their 'adoring fans'. "Moving forward, up next we have a special treat as an unlikely pairing will aim to steal your hearts and votes. Introducing, Liam Marshall and Jade West!"

"What?!" The gang, with the exception of Beck, bellowed in complete jaw-dropping shock. They knew that Jade had to spend detention with the new guy, but, having to perform with him? That was shocking to them all.

The students all gasped at the revealing of the names, the memory of the two nearly killing each other earlier in the month not yet faded from their memories. Interestingly, Cat had grown more focused upon hearing the name, curiosity drawing her away from the cheese fountain. This was his first time actually getting a clear image of who Liam was and it wracked her brain knowing that there was something about the boy that seemed to be familiar. The week prior, she barely had time to really get to know him, but there was no denying that something about him made the girl feel a sense of peace.

A normally confident Jade West appeared to be a little on edge while Liam was trying his best to focus on putting on a good performance. Considering the nature of the crowd, he felt he had to really give 110% in order to make a good impression. The audience remained silent as a grand piano was brought in. Liam bit his lip as he sat before the majestic instrument.

With a signal from his partner he began.

A delicate note.

That's all that was needed as everyone's attention turned to the relative unknown playing the heavenly keys. The combination of ebony and ivory were in perfect synchronization as the melodic sounds enveloped the quad with peaceful bliss. Jade used this to her advantage and exhaled any negative feelings. Teal crystals gazed into the crowd as her lips parted, her voice meshing well with the stunning music behind her.

When you walk away You don't hear me say, "Please, oh baby, don't go."

Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight It's hard to let it go

Before everyone could give her their undivided attention, Liam continued onward, the divine notes giving way for his own voice. He took a breath as his mind blocked out everything except Jade's voice.

The daily things that keep us all busy Are confusing me

That's when you came to me and said,

Jade kept the game of 'Hot Potato' going as she picked right back up where he left off. The crowd's captivation was everything to them. This was more than just singing to the two. This was a matter of holding your audience and keeping their interest despite a slow methodical pace. Up to this point, it was unheard of in Hollywood Arts, but here they were accomplishing the feet.

Wish I could prove I love you, but does that mean I have to walk on water?"

When we are older you'll understand It's enough when I say so

And maybe some things are that simple.

What came next shocked even Jade. Naturally, Liam would take the chorus and push them into the pure duet, only this time, he'd add a twist.

Donna tokidattezutto futaride

Donna tokidatte

Soba ni irukara

Kimi to iu hikari ga watashi wo mitsukeru

Mayonakani

Jade would get on him about singing in another language later. For now, she wouldn't be satisfied until they were completely in the clear. Liam would reassert himself as he laid out an exquisite mixture of emotion and grace. Sensing the atmosphere permeating with a still calmness, she'd sit on the piano, acting as if she was a top singer in the 1940s as Tori, Andre and Cat continued watching closely.

The crowd went nuts as they both began to initiate harmony.

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning Is a little later on

Terebi keshite watashi nokoto dake wo

Miteiteyo

Jade took that moment to wrap up. Each note delicate and angelic with her resolve. This was a new side of her that, until now, Beck and Liam, the latter to a much lesser extent, had witnessed. She literally poured out her soul, lacing each word with a passion that the students had never thought possible before this very night.

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning Is a little later on

Regardless of warnings, the future doesn't scare me at all

Nothing's like before...

As the last notes were played, the pair would find themselves watching one another, smiling as their healthy competition drew to a close.

It hadn't even dawned on the two that they were now, somehow, mere inches from each other. teal and emerald would remain locked, only the sounds of cheers and chants of 'Excellent' and 'Encore' snapped them from the musical trance. Eventually, they stepped off the stairs, Jade making sure to lead him over to the gang. By the time they reached their destination, Jade managed to side-stepped the expected 'Vega Glomp' only for Liam to catch the brunt of it.

"You guys were amazing!" she announced.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Vega. Now, would you be so kind as to remove yourself from my friend?"

"Oops..." Tori giggled nervously. "Sorry about that."

Liam brushed himself off, a small smirk on his face.

"No harm done..." he chuckled.

Jade, finally reunited with her boyfriend, took the moment to reassert herself.

"So this is Robbie; feel free to just call him Shapiro. Andre Harris. My boyfriend, Beck." Liam shook the guys' hands, glad to finally meet the crew. "...and the overreactive nutcase that nearly mauled you is Tori."

The two finally met formally, but, it was clear that something was bugging Liam. It was as if something or someone was missing. Noticing this, Jade soon realized the same thing.

A certain red-head was missing...

"Where's Cat?" she asked, a soft scowl on her face.

Everyone around shrugged, showing they had no idea. Instinctively, Jade cut her gaze to Liam only to find him doing the same. Something wasn't right and they knew it. Still, they had to be careful in their approach.

"I gotta wazz..." she told the gang, slipping a kiss to Beck's cheek in the process.

While Jade excused herself, Liam was way ahead of her as he disappeared amongst the crowd while they were distracted.

* * *

A suspicious Liam navigated the halls, carefully scouting his surroundings as he trekked deeper into the school. He kept his head on a swivel as he fought down the all too familiar feeling swimming in his gut. During this search, a pair of footsteps caught his ears. Slowly he crept along the line of lockers, each step dragging him closer to the source of the noise.

Steadying his nerves, Liam turned the corner only to find himself face to face with the goth who stared back with an equally shocked expression.

"Could you give a guy a warning?"

"Don't blame me for being a scary weirdo!" she hissed back, allowing her second nature to resurface.

Still, this was no time for them to be arguing when there was someone's wellbeing in potential jeopardy. The two settled on a truce while heading to the west wing of the building. They passed by several classrooms but the new friends found no trace of Cat Valentine. Even when Liam tried his best to pinpoint her energy, he'd come up short.

_Maybe I'm focusing on the wrong person..._ he pondered.

This time, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply while Jade looked on. His own spirit traversed the halls until it stopped just short of the entrance to the school's gymnasium. Inside, he saw the image of a terrified Cat trying her best to crawl away from the vile and malicious figure stalking toward her. In no time, he rushed off with a confused Jade following close behind.

"What's going on?!" she asked, trying not to lose her breath in the process.

He said nothing, sharply cutting corners in hot pursuit. If what he saw was any indication, he couldn't waste time on talking right now. His eyes glowed that ever demonic shade of purple as his canines slowly jutted from his mouth. He needed to be ready for he knew what was coming. Crashing into the door, the echoes of her screams were silenced just as the two entered the gym. Lying on the ground with eyes frozen in horror, there was no denying what had happened.

"No..." he whispered while Jade remained silent.

"Oops... That's what I get for playing with my food, huh?"

_That voice... _his shaky eyes looked up to see the assailant. "Ahrya."

"It seems that you knew this girl at some point, didn't you?" she playfully stuck her bottom lip out.

"Where is it?"

"Oh, this?" she held up the blue glowing orb in her palm. "I was just about to enjoy a late-night snack before you interrupted."

"Give it back..."

"No..."

"I won't ask again, Ahrya."

The demoness flashed a cocky grin, mocking the stewing boy at this point. It was as if his words held no bite behind them despite the hellacious glare he was giving her. Or maybe she knew something he didn't.

"If you want it so badly, old friend, then come and take it from me!" she fired back. "Because the only way I'm giving up this delicious soul is if you pry it from my undead hands!"

There it was; the declaration of war between two supernatural beings. Amber locked on amethyst gems in defiance as the fate of one soul hung in the balance. The conflict behind Liam's gaze would have to take a backseat to the determination he would need to retrieve Cat's very being.

"Jade?" he looked over to the girl holding the unconscious body of her best friend. "Watch over her. I'll be back..."

"Liam?"

She wouldn't get the chance to protest as the shroud of darkness blanketed the two demons in its aura.


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Unlikely Partners**

The dark dome sealed shut, locking Jade and the half-dead Cat in a frozen time loop. This left Liam and Ahrya to face one another in peace. There was little left to be said as the two stared down one another.

Defiance vs Determination

Envy vs Wrath

Full blood vs Half blood

"You're really going to fight me? Over the soul of some random human girl?" Ahrya stifled a full out laugh.

Surprisingly, Liam shook his head.

"No. I'm not fighting you over some girl." A whirlwind of fire suddenly engulfed the boy, hiding his form from the demon girl's eyes. The sounds of wolves howling shook Ahrya at her core as she saw the predatory gaze of her opponent staring back through the flames. Soon, the embers died down, revealing the image of an upright wolf with black and violet fur. "How about I tear you limb from limb instead?"

"This is new..."

"Try not to act so surprised," he smirked evilly.

In the blink of an eye, the unholy canine rushed at her with blinding speed. Bracing herself for a surprise attack, Ahrya was shocked to find that he didn't hit her. He passed her by; but, why would he? The answer revealed itself when she realized that the soul she once held was no longer in her possession. This only served to infuriate her as Liam turned around with the orb in his hand and a smug grin on his lips.

"How did you...?"

Ahrya's gawking ceased when he rushed past her once more, throwing a swift punch to the jaw. This was followed up with several more strikes to various points of her body.

"You shouldn't have attacked her," he teased the recovering girl. "Jealousy always your greatest weakness."

He was toying with her; there was no doubt about that. Despite his speed, there was little to no power behind his attacks which only served to infuriate the demoness. With her prize in his possession, she did the only things she could. Her eyes burned like wildfire only to shift to a sickly pale green. Two fangs jutted from her mouth as her tongue grew to an absurd length.

This was surprising, even for Liam as he watched the girl transform into a scorpion version of herself. While she still had legs, the rather long tail, complete with a rather daunting stinger on the end. Couple that with the sudden appearance of sharpened nails and you had a recipe for danger.

"That's unexpected..."

"Try not to act sssso surprised," she mockingly flicked her tongue.

Liam was about to comment on the lack of originality but found that difficult as she flexed her own speed. Disappearing in an instant, he now found himself on the opposite end of the spectrum as she dashed passed by him. Expecting a blow to be landed, Liam was shocked to find no such attempt was made. Turning around, he surmised, correctly, that she was mocking him at this point.

Sensing the next attack coming, he managed to step aside and avoid the demoness' attempt to retrieve the soul in his possession.

_Why is this so important to her? _he asked narrowly dodging the toxic tip. "You really want this badly, huh?"

Stopping her blind dash, she twisted her head, revealing a pair of reptilian eyes on top of her own demonic orbs.

**"More than you know..."**

"Ahrya, why are you fighting me for one human's soul?"

**"For the same reason you're fighting to protect her!" **she roared.

The two just stood there, neither willing to utter anything further just yet. The conviction... the desperation behind her declaration made him stop and wonder. What did she mean? Her reasoning for targeting Cat Valentine was tied to why he was trying to save her? He barely knew the girl, if he were being honest. Sure, she looked familiar to him, but, he still didn't understand why.

Now, he stood there with an unreadable look on his face.

"I'm protecting someone who's precious to a friend of mine." he declared.

Four eyes widened in shock and rage upon hearing this.

"Fine..."

"Ahrya?" he closed his eyes only for them to shoot wide in pain. His body shivered as he looked down to find that he'd been stabbed by the girl's stinger. He felt the urge to vomit brewing in his gut, but nothing came up as Ahrya stepped to him.

Their faces were mere inches away. Gone were the venomous green eyes as she looked back at him with something he hadn't expected. It wasn't satisfaction nor was it vengeance behind those amber orbs.

Disappointment.

As she stared deep into his eyes, Ahrya smiled sadly as she slowly placed her hand on the spiritual orb in his hand. That's when Liam realized what she'd down to him. He was paralyzed, albeit temporarily. She pulled the stinger out from his stomach, hearing the soft grunt from the petrified demon in front of her. Now she could claim her prize and devour the girl's soul without interruption.

But, she didn't take it.

Instead, she pushed his frozen limb to his chest and softly planted her lips onto his own.

A shocked Liam could only stand there as she invaded his personal space, even feeling her tongue past his lips before pulling away. She then turned to walk away, leaving him to process what'd just happened.

"If only, Atsura..." she whispered.

"..."

"I'll leave the girl alone for now. Praise your ignorance for me sparing her tonight."

He could watch as the demoness suddenly vanished in a swirl of red smoke, leaving him to contemplate the events that just occurred. Eventually, the effects of the poison began to wear off just as the dome began to dissipate. Once it was no longer surrounding him, Liam finally felt the weight of his body finally hit him as he dragged himself over to the worried Jade and unconscious Cat.

Jade noticed how worse for wear he was before he dropped to his knees and placed the glowing spirit onto Cat's chest, watching it sink into her. However, he didn't wait around for the girl to wake up, instead, he forced himself past the two. Even when Jade called out to him, he simply mouthed three words:

'Quote the Raven...'

Jade was none too pleased, but there'd be time for that later as Cat began to stir in her arms. Seeing the girl's warm eyes staring back at her, all the goth felt was relief at that moment.

"Cat! Are you alright?" Jade pulled her into a rare hug.

"Mhmm," she nodded but frowned as she suddenly sat up and started looking around. "Where is he?"

"Where's who?"

"Atsu..."

After leaving from the gymnasium, Liam ran as fast as he could, hoping to get as far away from the pair. He clutched his stomach noticing that there was no longer a wound where he'd been stabbed in. His head grew foggy and then, a sharp pain shot through his head. Images flashed before his eyes of moments of his past that he never realized he had until now. It was so excruciating, he couldn't even scream out; the only thing he could do was clutch at his skull, futilely trying to alleviate the pain.

The last thing he remembered was tears welling up just prior to the comforting darkness slowly enveloped his senses.

* * *

On a rooftop, Ahrya sat in silence observing the festivities including a surprising announcement that Jade & Liam had won the title of 'Prince & Princess H.A.' which included a scholarship to a nearby property that would be used as a dormitory in the coming month. A bitter smile stretched her full lips as she glared at the cheering fans, taking only a little solace in the fact that by now, her poison should've rendered Atsura, or Liam as he was called now, unconscious.

She knew all too well the effects yet, she felt no remorse.

"It seems that you didn't know this time," she bit down on her bottom lip. "Next time, you won't get off so lucky."

Just as she said that the sounds of thunder rumbled above her, forcing her to leave her spot on the roof. With one more glance at the scattering crowd of students and a slight graze of her lips, she settled on her victory, hollow as it may be.

* * *

Thursday morning.

An emotional weekend had come and gone, bringing with it a plethora of revelations had brought along a new sense of relief for some of the friends, the biggest recipient being Liam. His mind began to wander while his math teacher droned on about some conundrum, reminding him of the cruel reality.

After passing out during the Showcase, he woke up to find himself at home, courtesy of his sister who happened to come by to pick him up. Even more startling was when he found Jade West resting at his bedside the next morning.

He knew she claimed to be his friend but, he never thought that she was actually serious,

...at least not until that moment...

He remembered certain details about her that stuck to his memory bank.

Her soft porcelain skin.

The calm on her resting features.

Purple streaks that accentuated her raven hair.

It was like looking at a completely different person...

_Then she woke up... _he mentally chuckled.

"Mr. Marshall!" he was jolted from his inner world as the elder woman's voice snapped him out of his inner world. "Is that weird grin of yours a sign of fascination for the beauty of math? Perhaps you'd care to come up and solve the equation on the board?" she tapped the board with the pointer stick for emphasis.

He shook his head; his face adorned with embarrassment.

"N-no, ma'am. I don't know the answer, Ms. Jamison."

"Maybe if you spent as much time in the lesson as you do in the clouds you could've been better prepared for the problem." The others released a chorus of snickers and giggles at his unfortunate position. Despite being reprimanded, Liam nodded politely, prompting her smile to return. She was about to continue when the loud blaring of the school bell cut in. "Now then class, make sure you study your packets and be ready for your exam next week. It'll be worth one-fourth of your final grade."

Liam managed to swerve around the heavy traffic of students, expertly zigzagging through the various bodies that were tightly packed against one another. He sighed in tremendous relief at being free of the prison of his calculus class. Sure he was far from dumb but, he found the concepts of it to be annoying. Rubbing his temples, he made his way to the courtyard, eager to get some food in his gut.

He made his way to the Asphalt Cafe and spotted an Asian Cuisine cart, and quickly placed an order for some General Tso's Chicken and three egg rolls. Once he received his food, he found his usual table, a familiar red-haired girl, and dark-skinned boy conversing.

"Hey guys!" he greeted.

"Liam!" Cat Valentine leaped out of her seat, pulling him into a tight hug while, somehow, managing to avoid knocking his food out of his hand.

"Good to see you too, Cat." he chuckled. "Nice to see you upbeat."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" she cried in a hurt tone.

Realizing his mistake, he quickly assured her with a playful pat on the head. "I'm sorry. I meant it's nice that you're so happy."

"Oh! Kk!" she giggled while skipping back to her spot at the table.

"So, anything new?"

While Andre shook his head, it was Cat who began talking about something about a nightmare involving a demon snake trying to kill her. This caught the two boy's attention as she went on about falling asleep and dreaming about a wolf cub who'd grown up and protected her.

"Wow. That's some dream, Cat." Andre chuckled having been thoroughly entertained by her tale.

"It felt so real though."

"Sometimes our dreams can seem so real that we can't tell the difference," a tense Liam chimed in. "You sure that you didn't imagine it happening?"

"I don't know..."

"Well, either way, that's one way to make a boring day exciting..."

Andre looked up before sticking his fork into his food. "And it's about to get better..."

Looking confused, Liam raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"3... 2... 1..."

Emeralds grew bigger as a familiar voice caught his ear.

"Hey, guys..." Tori greeted dejectedly as she squeezed between Liam and Cat.

Andre, sensing the slight tension in the air, chose to speak up. "What's got you upset, mu-chacha?"

"I left my wallet at home and I'm starving." she crossed her arms.

Without warning, she was stunned to see two large egg rolls appear in front of her. She looked to her left to find Liam was the one holding the plate of food.

"Liam... You don't have to..." Her attempts at declining his offer came to a grinding halt when the sounds of her growling spoke on her behalf.

"It seems that your stomach says differently." he chuckled softly. "Besides, I can always get another one. Now eat."

Upon his insistence, Tori accepted his offering. As she prepared to devour the poor egg rolls, a tap on her right shoulder, her gaze shortly followed. Turning to see nobody other than a clueless Cat and eating Andre, she focused once more on the plate before her to find both of her egg rolls was now missing. Tori pondered for what felt like ages until the sounds of chomping and smacking flooded her ears.

"Oh man, Vega. This is so good." Jade West practically moaned while taking another bite, savoring the taste as well as the sight of Tori practically drooling from hunger. "You should try some."

Tori, being the type to attempt to avoid confrontation, was nearly frothing at the mouth.

It was clear that her aching stomach was firmly in control of her body as she prepared to lunge at the goth stuffing her face. Things didn't play out as expected for Tori though. Her snarl began to disappear as the smells and sight of food once again caught her attention. Liam slid his tray to the girl with a soft smile, the expression not going unnoticed by Jade. She took a seat on the other side of the young man while Tori happily scarfed down the delicious chicken and noodles.

"How come Vega gets the main dish?"

"Maybe you won't go around stealing other's food and just ask."

Behind his back, Tori stuck out her tongue at her rival, only managing to resume her meal just as Liam turned his head. This was becoming a recurring thing between the three and out of them, he wasn't so sure that he was ready for anything else. While he enjoyed being around both girls, there was such a thing called personal space that he hadn't had since the past weekend.

On top of that, without having to deal with any demons lately, he was torn between going home or heading back on the grind. While the pair of Tori and Jade argued over food, he remembered that day when he and Jade finally had the talk that solidified the dynamic of their friendship.

****Flashback- 4 Days Prior****

After the events of the night prior, Liam was surprised when he noticed that he was no longer in the hallways of Hollywood Arts. He was back home, more specifically, in his bedroom. Rubbing his still tired eyes, he attempted to reach over to grab a hair tie when he felt something weighing him down. In his confusion, Liam turned back only to find an even more jaw-dropping discovery.

_Jade?!_

True to his revelation, Jade West was in his room, her head resting firmly in his lap. So many questions spun around his brain. How long had been here? What was she doing here in the first place? What happened at school?

He'd have to get those answers later when he watched her begin to stir, letting out a soft yawn. If he'd never known her before, he would've thought she was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever laid eyes on. Her soft yawn only strengthened that truth, conflicting her normally rigid personality. A slight tint of red burned his dark cheeks as she blinked several times before stretching.

"Morning..." she groaned, popping her neck.

"Afternoon," he chuckled.

"What?" He pointed to the alarm clock behind him, noting the time: 1:27 pm. "Dammit... I can't believe I've been asleep this long."

"Same here..."

Finally, Jade ceased her personal worry upon hearing his agreement. She watched as he turned his body and grabbed something to tie his hair up with. That was when she really got a look at the guy, if only for a moment. He was completely bare-chested, revealing a rather toned and cut torso which, unlike himself earlier, made for an obvious blush.

"So, how are you feeling?" she hid her embarrassment behind her dark hair.

"I'm alright. There's a lingering headache, but, I'll live..."

"Good," she stood up from her chair and began to make her way to the front door. "Guess I'll see you at school tomorrow then."

"You're leaving already?"

Stopping just short of the threshold, Jade sighed softly.

"I've already spent too much time as it is. I just wanted to make sure that your sorry mug was alright..."

"Is that all, Jade?"

"Excuse me?"

"It's only been a month and I know that nothing is 'black & white' with you." he raised an eyebrow. "There's something else you're after, isn't it?"

Jade twisted her body, leaning against the door frame with a soft scowl.

"That's a mighty big assumption. Sure you aren't just getting greedy for my attention?"

"Are we really going to do this?"

"Not if you leave it alone."

"Jade..." he flashed an annoyed glare toward the girl.

"Atsura?"

**"ENOUGH!"**

The two just stared silently at one another, trying to process what happened.

"Did you just...?"

"That wasn't...!" Liam stopped though when he looked past her at the front door in horror. "Oh, shit..."

Jade slowly turned around to see what had the guy so spooked. What she found was a clearly pissed off young woman standing glaring back at the two teens. Her purple eyes burned with fury as she clenched the door frame, causing it to crack under her grip.

"Would you two just talk about this already?! She already knows enough so stop stalling and get it over with so I can sleep...!" she growled.

The two simply nodded at the woman's request before observing her storm down the hall, muttering something about 'love birds' and 'spirits' before slamming her door. It would take a few moments for Liam and Jade to finally come down from the death aura that'd surrounded them just minutes earlier.

"So... That's your sister?" she pointed weakly.

"Yep..." he nodded. "That's Lucille."

"I think I like her."

"Then you must be a masochist..."

"Only when the pain feels good."

They both laughed softly. It was a welcome change from the tension felt before. Still, there was the matter of Jade's true reason for being at his home in the first place; deep down he knew the reason though. After two encounters with a supernatural presence, there was no denying that Jade wanted answers.

"What do you want to know first?"

Crossing her arms, Jade pondered the question prompting Liam to get out of bed and get dressed. By the time she came to an answer, he'd thrown on a pair of grey sweatpants and a green t-shirt that read: Cosplay. Rated E for everyone.

"Who are you really? What are you? How does Cat know you and what's been going on with these demons showing up?"

"Wait, why would you assume Cat knows me?"

"Because she called you by your other name..." she smirked smugly, realizing that he was caught.

_She's smarter than she lets on... _he groaned inwardly. "Alright. Liam Marshall is the name I was given when I came here. My real name is Atsura."

"Wait. When you came to L.A.?"

"When my sister and I came to earth." He resisted the urge to laugh when she stared blankly at him. "As you know, I'm a half-demon, half... something else. I was raised in a realm outside of your own called Nevermore."

"Okay?"

"Anyway, my mother gave me the name Liam after sending my sister and me to earth. L.A. just happened to be where we landed. As for how Cat and I know each other, I... I'm still working on that one. My mind is still fuzzy on that one but, slowly the memories are coming back. After I left the gym, I started seeing scattered images in my head about a girl that looks like her only with brown hair."

"Cat used to have brown hair."

"Huh?"

"She dyed her hair red sometime during the 8th grade shortly before I met her."

"So, maybe it is her then..." he wondered, smiling gently. "Still, there's the matter of the demons. What you don't know is that I hunt them to prevent those like you from having your souls snatched and devoured."

"Like when we encountered that bat in the old theater..."

"Exactly. He had possessed those guys and used them to fulfill his lustful pleasure before claiming her soul. He's a member of Lust's gang."

"As in one of the seven deadly sins?"

"Yep. They're generals in Lucifer's army; the one who tried to steal Cat's soul was the general Envy."

Standing there, Jade side-eyed Liam as he sat along the edge of his bed.

"You expect for me to believe all of this?"

"Hey! You asked..."

Nibbling her bottom lip, the goth realized that while his claims sounded immensely farfetched, he didn't give off any sign that he was making up any part of what he told her. It was perplexing, and yet, she found her interest piqued the more she fathomed his explanation.

_Demons. Seven deadly sins. Souls. Hunters._

Those were the main things she took from everything she'd heard while her lips settled into a devious grin.

"I'm in..."

****Present Day****

Liam couldn't help but smirk at that moment. In truth, he was expecting her to brush him off and storm out in disbelief and yet, she not only believed him, but she wanted to join him in his journey to combat the demonic forces. Granted he wanted nothing more than to protest it, but, after consulting with his sister about it, and the fact that Jade was able to see the demons rather easily, it was decided that she'd be trained in how to actually channel her spirit to combat them.

_What a weekend... _he shook his head, while Jade and Tori's debate persisted.

Even with Beck's arrival, it did little to slow down the two as Jade merely took portions of his food and resumed her verbal tirade against the Latina.

"Oh yeah!" Jade broke the verbal tug of war, poking Liam out of his thoughts. "I forgot to give you this the other day. It's from Helen."

She handed him an envelope addressed to him. Opening it, he was surprised at what he read.

_**Please fill out this form to accept your all-expense-paid voucher**_

_**This voucher is approved for one Liam Marshall to be admitted as a resident of Hollywood Arts Gardens Dormitory. You are offered this voucher based on the referral of Principal Helen. If you choose to accept this invitation, you will be granted unlimited access to the dorms' many amenities including free meals, furnishings, various entertainment, and more. Please turn in this form to Principal Helen within before the end of the month.**_

Stunned at the letter, he looked up to a departing Jade West, who was leaving with her boyfriend. As the two said their goodbyes, she happened to look back with a slight grin before returning to Beck's conversation. With everything that's happened over the past month now, he was beyond grateful to receive this good news...

...at least until he finally realized the impending task...

_I'm going to have to move._

* * *

**Author's Note**

**Alright! So, after three chapters now, we are finished with the prologue arc! Basically, these were to set up the main story but, I still want to shed some light on what's happened overall and where we're heading directly moving forward.**

***Story thus far (main characters):**

**Jade: Entering her junior year, Jade has been feeling a bit bored with the same routine. After meeting Liam she later finds her path intertwined with the boy, leading her to find out his secret; he's a demon. This leads to the two forming not only an unlikely partnership but also an escape from the boring monotony of Jade's life.**

**Liam/Atsura: A half-demon boy who tried (and failed) to have a quiet school life once he arrived at Hollywood Arts. On his first day, he gets into an argument that resulted in he and Jade getting teamed up for the first showcase of the year. On top of that, his personal life catches up to him when he encounters two demons trying to steal souls during the first month. It is later learned that his real name is Atsura and even more, he has ties to a certain red-head. Now he and Jade are going to be partners as a demon-hunting duo. What can go wrong, right?**

**Cat: While having the least impact, actively, Cat Valentine seems to have some great importance to Liam and the demon of Envy, Ahrya. What exactly her connection to the two remains a mystery, though the former seems to have started remembering while she recalls a nickname: Atsu. What role does she play going forward?**

**Ahrya: A full-blooded demon and one of the seven deadly sins in Lucifer's ranks. She appeared to Liam/Atsura after the latter hid Cat in the closet. She has close ties, that borderline romantic after their second encounter for the girl's soul. How she plays into everything remains to be seen.**

**With that said, now we can get into the meat and potatoes of things.**

**The next chapter will start the first official arc: Demon Hunters. This will include some new enemies and engagements outside of the school while juggling their school lives. Although there are some ideas, I have no idea what the main pairing will be and probably won't have that disclosed until several chapters from now. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next chapter and enjoy your day, everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Demon Hunters**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Conflicting Interests**

"Jade, do you have eyes on the target?"

"Not yet," he heard her through the Bluetooth device in his ear. "Where are you?"

Liam Marshall rushed down the street, each panting heavily. In front of him, a panicked older man shrouded in dark energy hurried forward, hoping to outrun his pursuers. However, no matter what it did, be it zig-zagging or cutting corners, it couldn't shake the half-demon.

"I'm a block from the school but, this thing keeps giving me the slip..." he grunted, nearly slipping on a slick corner.

"No problem. I'll try and cut him off!"

The chase continued as the two rushed through the mild amount of traffic which almost led to them both being hit by cars on numerous occasions. Still, the teen pursued the clearly possessed male.

"Jade, where are you? I'm almost at school!"

Nothing.

"Jade?"

Silence.

Liam shook his head as he picked up speed, slowly closing the distance between the two. As they neared the school, the male darted in the direction of the back parking lot, prompting the annoyed teenager to growl in frustration as he followed. Once he turned a corner that led to the Asphalt, Liam found himself all alone. Confusion washed over his features as he cautiously wandered around.

_This is so cliche... _he thought to himself as he made his way over to Festus' truck.

To make matters worse, this spirit was somehow able to conceal its presence, robbing Liam of one of his most trusted abilities. He found nothing and began to pull out his phone. Pressing a few digits, he tried to contact Jade.

{Leave a message... Or don't... I probably won't care enough to check it anyway.}

"Great..." he grumbled.

As he made his way back to the parking lot, his senses began flaring up, but it was too late. By the time he'd turned around, he found himself behind tackled by a now foaming subjugate. The two wrestled on the ground but, a still stunned Liam wound up being overpowered. As he struggled, he could see the fear that once was in the man's eyes now bore the signs of unbridled rage; a furious fire burning behind them.

**"Die!" **he let out a furious roar while he attempted to choke the boy.

"Sorry...! Can I take a rain check on that?!"

Things were going from bad to worse and yet, he still had the time to make a quip? As the man's grip tightened around his neck, Liam began to cough up bile as he felt sharpened talons begin to cut into his neck.

"Zera Mythona!"

In a flash of light, Liam could feel the weight being lifted off of himself. He shook off the cobwebs and looked up to a rather interesting sight. His target turned aggressor was now floating in the air. He picked himself up off of the wet ground and looked on to find a sight that brought both relief and irritation.

"Really?"

"What?"

"Where have you been, Jade?" he rubbed his sore neck. "I've been trying to reach you..."

"I was waiting for you two so I could trap him." she shrugged nonchalantly. "I just happened to spot this creep and struck."

"Yeah right... You just wanted to make an entrance."

The smirk that began to grow on her lips answered that question.

"Anyway... What do we do with this one?"

Liam looked at the growling guy and raised an eyebrow at his partner. His emeralds literally screamed 'Seriously?' before rolling in slight amusement. Jade didn't need further prompting as she extended her hands, slowly pulling them apart. The result showed that whatever spirit was inside of this person was now being pulled apart from its host, screaming violently in the process.

**"No! Please!" **It pleaded, warping the male's face as it was nearly completely severed. **"I beg you!"**

"No way..." the goth grunted.

Finally, her efforts were rewarded with an unconscious man being set down gently while the panicking spirit tried futilely to escape the levitation spell. Under him, a not so happy Liam flashed a bitter glare and sneer.

"Drop it..."

Jade obliged him, releasing her hold on the dark blob. It let out a quick shriek before being ripped to shreds, disappearing into nothingness. As the last remains of it vanished, the two made their departure, leaving the now stirring man to figure out what happened on his own.

You may be asking yourself, how could Jade have done such a thing, right?

Well, it's quite simple really.

"Pretty good for an empath..." he droned, though not without the slightest hint of a grin.

"Please, we both know that I'm. That. Witch." she bumped his hip with her own. "Not bad for a novice, right?"

"I already gave you credit, didn't I?"

"Maybe I didn't hear you?" she stuck her tongue out.

"Then why'd you answer?" he rolled his eyes.

"..."

"I rest my case..."

"Ass." she pouted.

"Nice job though," she heard the teasing in his tone. "You really saved my butt back there."

Hearing that brought back some of the accomplished feelings Jade had after taking down another demon with Liam. Ever since the incident between him and Ahrya, he brought over to meet with his sister, Lucille, who revealed Jade's spiritual identity. One week later, the young women were practically inseparable as the former agreed to train the teen under the condition that she did not reveal the truth about the supernatural going ons.

Now, the two were basically secret heroes, always on the lookout for any mishaps. If it involved spirits, they were on alert.

However, with how late it was, it was clear that they were far from super-human as Jade let out the ugliest of yawns.

"Crash at my place tonight?"

She simply nodded without much protest. Liam simply chuckled softly as the two ventured onward, both grateful that his dorm was only a hop, skip, and a jump away.

* * *

Time flew for the new students at Hollywood Arts as the first semester was in full swing. Other students had begun living on campus, thus creating a community of young talent and like-mindedness. Liam, for his part, had grown accustomed to the everyday rigors of the school. Within the few short weeks, he'd managed to get to know Tori and the others closely, eventually being welcomed into their group.

He was fortunate to find that he was at least on the good end of things with Jade as she legitimately considered him a close acquaintance at worst and a new friend at best. He started off by taking a much simpler route in his studies, choosing to study more in traditional arts along with a bit of singing and acting for good measure.

Still, there was much to be done as the first day of the school week dragged on.

Everyone had made their way into the classroom only to find their beloved teacher nowhere to be found. It was time for their midterm performances and yet the man was M.I.A. again. Frustration and confusion began to set in upon the students who began murmuring to themselves.

"Where the heck is Sikowitz?" Jade piped up in annoyance. "I'd like to get through this class before I'm old and grey."

"I saw him a few hours ago talking to Principal Helen and Lane about something." Andre chimed in. "She didn't seem happy either."

"Well, let's just hope nothing happened to him," Tori responded, worry evident in her voice.

"I hope nothing's happened to him!" Jade swiftly mocked, drawing her rival's ire.

"For the umpteenth time, I do not sound like a character from the 1940s!" She growled.

In typical fashion, Jade wiggled her eyebrows and bit the air at Tori playfully.

While everyone else talked amongst themselves, a certain red-haired girl was unusually focused. Though they were on opposite ends of the room, Cat Valentine found herself constantly drawn to the newest member of their group. Normally, she'd be bouncing in her seat like an excited toddler or mentioning something about her weird brother, but not today.

Instead, she found herself shifting in her seat while stealing glances at a clearly tired Liam. At this point, he was slouched in his chair in an attempt to catch some zzz's before Sikowitz arrived. She just couldn't figure out what about him kept drawing her attention as she watched his body rise and fall to the steady rhythm of his breathing.

Unfortunately, her silent inquiry would have to wait as the door burst open, startling the kids.

"Ah! Welcome, my little guppies," their loveable coconut wielding teacher greeted. "I'm sure you're probably wondering why I'm so late."

"Not really..." Jade rolled her eyes.

"Well, I am happy to announce, much to Principal Helen's behest, a special challenge for your midterms."

Everyone in the class began to murmur amongst themselves, each wondering what the man was planning. Tori and her friends all remembered their 'special challenge' the year prior that resulted in Jade having her hands seared, Andre embarrassed by his grandmother, and Tori (who ended up winning the whole thing) occupying her bathroom for nearly half the day due to her excessive consumption of raisin bran.

"What's the challenge?" Robbie finally spoke up. This earned him a shot to the head, courtesy of the now-empty half of Sikowitz's coconut. Of course, the amused teacher chuckled at the boy's misfortune before brandishing a top hat.

"Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I have several numbers written down. You each will pick a number and whoever you're matched up with will be your partner. The challenge is that you will spend the night here in the school under one condition." he eyed his students with the creepiest of grins. "The night of the challenge will be held on Halloween night and you must survive."

"Survive?" Robbie groaned only to get hit with the other half.

"Manners, my boy! I suggest you get some..." Sikowitz yelled out playfully.

"Best. Class. Ever." Jade smirked from her position under Beck.

"Anyway, there will be "lunatics" on the loose in the school. The challenge will begin after the Halloween party that night. You will be given a series of clues that will help you figure out who these 'lunatics' are. If you can figure out their identity without getting caught, the remaining survivors will be given A's for my class. If not, then only the pair designated to 'take you out' will be given the automatic A."

"So, it's like a game of hide & seek?" Beck asked, still a little uncertain.

"Exactly!"

"Hey! How come you didn't throw a coconut at- Ow!"

This time, Robbie found himself whacked with a whole coconut that knocked him out of his seat. Sikowitz merely gave a victory pose before taking his seat on the mini stage. He then held out the hat, shifting it around a few times before setting it down.

"Now, don't crowd around and pick a number. I've already decided which numerical pair would be the lunatics."

One by one, the students did as they were told. Andre and Beck found themselves grouped together while Cat and Jade were paired up. A cautious Robbie opted not to take part, resulting in him narrowly dodging another pelting from the hairy fruit in the process, much to Rexes delight. Tori Vega reached inside and drew her number and sat down, studying the piece of paper as if it was a complicated algorithm.

"Is that everyone?" he offered before finally noticing the still sleeping form of Liam. "Mr. Mashall? Liam!"

"Zzzz..."

Sikowitz decided that, if he couldn't wake the young man verbally, then he'd have to take drastic measures. Picking up another coconut, he aimed at the slumbering boy, which caused Cat and, unknowingly Jade, to look warily at the older man. Still, he chucked the fruit lightly at Liam with expectations of a profane reaction.

Instead of that, the class witnessed something rather interesting. As the sphere traversed the distance, a tired Liam simply stretched out a hand to catch it; he wasn't done yet though. While him catching the coconut in his position was already surprising enough, the entire class watched in shock as he crushed it with a simple squeeze, spilling the milky liquid all over in the process.

"Who the hell threw that?" he yawned/growled.

Everyone turned to look at Sikowitz who merely blinked several times before clearing his throat.

"Yes, well... Would you be so kind as to participate in the challenge?" he hesitantly held out the hat.

Seeing the looks of shock, Liam stood up and obliged. Reaching inside, he pulled out a piece of paper and stared at the number through drowsy eyes.

"4?" he questioned bewilderingly. "What's this about?"

"I think that means you're my partner..."

Liam turned around, finding himself met with the sight of a nervous Tori Vega smiling back at him. Instantly, his dark expression melted away, replaced by a lopsided grin of his own.

"Well, that's not so bad," he chuckled as if nothing happened over the last few minutes.

"Perfect!" Sikowitz chimed in just before the bell rang, signaling the end of the class. "Now, you'll receive instructions on where to report after the party and I'll be calling on the special pairs sometime during the week."

As everyone began to exit, Liam apologized for sleeping during the announcement before departing himself. However, upon stepping outside, he found himself under the watchful glare of Jade, signaling a lecture was coming. Unbeknownst to him though, a pair of brown eyes were watching him closely before heading off to their next course of study.

* * *

Only a few weeks separated the students from the upcoming challenge and time sure flew. Thankfully, there weren't any incidences for Jade and Liam to have to attend to. This allowed them both to focus on the impending date: October 31st.

When the night finally came, many of the students arrived in costumes ranging from goofy to scary to badass and seductive. Since the gang (minus Robbie and Rex) were teamed up together, they each decided to pair up in costume as well. Andre and Beck chose to dress as Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum from Alice in Wonderland. Cat decided to go as Kim Possible while Jade went as Shego.

While the former of the Disney Duo was upbeat and eager to enjoy the festivities, Jade would find herself distracted. Why you may ask? After nearly an hour of enjoying scary movies and games with her boyfriend, Beck, she'd noticed that a certain half-demon was nowhere in sight. Even worse, neither was her rival. Eventually, her naturally suspicious mind drew her to investigate the quad area.

After finding no sign of either of the twosome, the black & greed-clad mistress of evil leaned against one of the pillars. A twinge of betrayal began to worm its way into her heart though she fought them back down. It's not like she owned the guy...

_He's free to hang out with anyone he wants... Even if it is Vega._

"Excuse me?" she felt someone bump into her slightly.

"What where you're going, loser!" she snapped.

Turning around, Jade was introduced to the sight of some guy dressed as Red Hood backing away from her.

"Whoa! Sorry," he held his hands up. "I didn't know I needed permission to say hi to my friend..."

"What?" She squinted as the mysterious figure chuckled softly while reaching behind his head. Jade heard a few clicks and then watched as he removed the scarlet helmet, revealing a few stray locs poured out first before seeing the entirety of its owner's face was exposed. "You!"

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he chuckled. "We had to make a stop before coming here."

Jade smiled brightly until she evaluated his words.

"Wait. We?"

Just as soon as Jade asked, she watched as a face painted Tori Vega popped up from behind Liam. Her face was painted white while her normally brown hair was tied in long pigtails with the tips colored red and black. She was outfitted in an alternating black and red bodysuit and a paper mache mallet that completed the look. Whether they knew it or not, they both were the perfect contrast to one another.

"Sup, Jade!" she waved cheerfully.

"Harley Quinn? I can't say I was expecting that choice."

"Well, I like to be full of surprises and with my partner here dressed as Jason Todd, I just couldn't pass up the chance."

"Yeah, well... I can respect that; even if your outfit looks like a copy of mine." Jade smirked.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, aside from the color scheme, your suit looks exactly like mine and given that you just arrived, I'm sure that everyone else would agree."

Sensing where things were headed, Liam finally stepped in.

"Okay! So, where's the gang at? I'm itching to check out the games and food..." he laughed nervously, noticing the tension steadily growing between the two. "Speaking of which, why aren't you with Beck and the others?"

His line of questioning pulled Jade from the visual warfare between her and her rival.

"I was actually looking for you and decided to take a break when you two showed up." she waved off casually.

Her unconvincing tone didn't pass Liam, but he decided against lighting another fire in her. All he wanted to do was enjoy the festivities before the big challenge that awaited them.

* * *

After succeeding in avoiding a war of attrition, Liam, Jade, & Tori rejoined the group. Even despite his initial uneasiness, Liam found himself actually enjoying the festivities. From dancing to playing one of the various games, he could honestly say that he was having fun. At this moment, he was bobbing for apples against Beck and some other kid dressed as Super Mario. During this, he found himself tied with his friend at ten apples each trying to outdo the other.

"Wow, I didn't know Liam was so good with his mouth!"

"Sounds like someone's extremely curious," Jade teased.

Surprisingly, Tori didn't take the bait.

Meanwhile, the two were neck and neck, for the most part, each expertly holding their breath and clutching the delicious fruit for victory's sake. In the end, one managed to edge out the other by just one apple when the buzzer sounded. Breathing hard, those watching cheered on the drenched contestants when Lane showed up to calm them down.

After doing a count, it was time to announce the victor.

"Alright everyone," he held a hand out to the three. "let's give a big hand for these guys! This was obviously close but after counting, we have the results." The crowd simmered down, only a few murmurs here and there being heard as Andre grabbed the prize, an envelope with $200. "In third place, Timothy Nichols." the disappointed Mario Brother walked away into the crowd. "This leaves us with Liam or Beck as our winner. Who do you think won?"

The students all cheered for who they thought would win. Interestingly enough, the results were split down the middle between the girls. Tori didn't waste time shouting out Liam's name. Interestingly, Jade was silent, opting to let things play out between her friend and lover.

"According to the cards, our winner is..." everyone leaned forward, eager to know the answer. "Beck Oliver who edged Liam 16 to 15!"

The small crowd cheered him on while both Andre and Liam shook hands with the winner. Eruptions of joy filled the house as he collected his prize and stepped from the area to get some air. Jade, though not pleased with the outcome, still clapped. "I'm going to get some punch," she announced. "Anyone want some?"

"Oh! I'd love some punch!" Cat raised her hands in glee while holding on to her bouncing wig. "I want some!"

"Noted." she droned playfully before turning to Tori. "What about you, Harleen?"

"Nah, I'm good, Shego..."

Shrugging, Jade didn't argue. "Suit yourself."

If she were being honest with herself, the goth really didn't want to get her anything. This trip for refreshments was basically a chance to be alone with her thoughts. For a while, she'd been feeling this weird sensation in her gut that plagued her even while trying to distract herself from the feelings with the competition moments ago.

However, those worrisome feelings only grew stronger upon her arrival at the refreshment table.

"Beware the widow..."

Jade instantly turned around but, there was no one around her.

It was only a whisper, but she heard it as clear as day; a coded warning.

Forgetting her drinks, Jade rushed through the crowd, knowing now what it was; it couldn't be anything else. After forcing her way through the sea of students she found only Cat, Andre, and her boyfriend.

"Where's Liam?"

"He left with Tori to get ready for the challenge later," Beck casually replied. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Remembering her oath, Jade shook her head.

"No. I just heard something important about a play that he was wondering about. I'll tell him later, though."

She felt bad for lying to Beck, but, she had no choice. She was grateful when he wrapped his arms around her to capture her lips with his own.

"Tori and Liam are probably strategizing anyway..." Andre chimed in. "Maybe we should be doing the same?"

"Agreed..." Beck nodded.

"Whatever..." Jade huffed.

Still, she was no fool. Something was about to happen and she had to tell Liam about it.

As the hours passed, the multitude grew smaller and smaller as many of the students were growing tired from the fun or they had other responsibilities to take care of on this frightful holiday. Soon, only a few remained to meet in Sikowitz's classroom. However, they found that their beloved teacher was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was only a table that held various envelopes with designated names on them.

Each team took their envelopes and checked the contents inside, the first thing inside being a simple letter:

**Welcome to you Halloween Challenge**

**Along with this note, you all are given your roles. There are a pair of 'lunatics' hoping to capture the others. It is your job to either figure out their identity or to avoid them at all costs. This game will continue throughout the night until 12:00 am. If you are caught before that time you are to exit the school. Should you survive this challenge, you will be given the lowest grade of a B for my class at the end of the semester. **

**Do not share your location with anyone outside of your pairing as it is crucial to your 'survival'.**

After reading everything, Jade looked up only to find Tori pulling Liam out of the room, most likely to their starting point. Nothing nefarious about that, right? Sure, this was Tori, the goody-two-shoes but, Jade still couldn't help but feel a bit unsettled by how close the two appeared to be.

"Babe," she blinked a few times before finding herself staring over at her concerned boyfriend. "Are you alright?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were just staring with this sour look on your face. I thought you might be a little sick or something."

"Well, I'm fine!" she fired back.

She took Cat by the wrist and stomped out of the room, leaving behind a confused Beck.

As the duo rushed through the halls, Jade felt a pang of hurt after snapping on her boyfriend. He was only showing that he cared about her and her wellbeing, but, she was too caught up in the moment to realize that. All knew was she'd been given a warning; one that probably carried heavy consequences...

_Something's coming..._ She wondered, ignoring Cat's incessant rant about unicorns and cupcakes.

Little did she know, that something was watching the pair with a wicked smiled stretching its face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Demon Hunters**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Of Hell and Reunions**

_This is a nightmare...!_

That thought continued to pound in Liam's head. As his lungs burned, he pressed onward as he cut a corner with Tori following close behind him. The duo found themselves in this position as they found themselves spotted by whoever had been chosen by the 'lunatics' and wanted to avoid being caught.

That alone wasn't the reason why he was running with purpose, however.

It was what he saw behind their eyes. Those glowing flames of hell itself were locked on the pair and he knew what that meant. They were in danger; more so Tori was in danger. There was no doubt what they wanted as their pursuers hissed and shrieked. They were closing in and Liam wasn't sure how long they would be able to keep this game of cat & mouse going.

"Turn here!"

Liam obliged, cutting another corner only to find himself being yanked into the Black Box theater. Now it was Tori's turn to take the lead as she pulled him deep into the shadows on the far corner of the rear. There they remained as their chasers rushed in shortly after. Thankfully, they couldn't sense their presence resulting in them growling in frustration.

Only when they left did the pair finally release the breath they'd been holding in.

"That was a close one," Tori stifled the giggle in her throat.

"No doubt about that..."

"What do you think we should do now? Keep trying to solve their identities or hide out here?"

"I'd vote for the latter. They nearly got the jump on us anyway..."

Tori studied the serious look on the boy's face, taking in detail after detail of his features. His emerald eyes, while normally soft and full of light, now held a focused intensity that she'd never noticed before. It was both scary and yet inviting. He was always attractive in her opinion, but she felt something captivating about him now.

"...ideas?"

Shaking her head, Tori hadn't realized she'd been practically gawking at the guy.

"Huh?"

"I was wondering if you have any ideas of a good hiding place?"

Tori turned her head, trying to appear as if she was thinking of an answer. Unfortunately, he flushed cheeks weren't hidden well by her pigtails, a trait that Liam noticed yet said nothing about. That didn't stop him from stealing a glance of the Latina dressed as one of his favorite anti-heroines.

"There's an attic area we could use. Not many people use it nowadays so, if we go up there from behind the stage, we can hide there and hope that nobody's locked it."

For the first time since being chased, Liam smiled.

"Sounds like a plan."

They rushed over to the stage area and crossed the scaffolding above to reach the hidden attic area. Quietly and quickly, they traversed the lone pathway until they came over to a single square door. Liam looked back at the girl before slowly opening the door. They were surprised to find that the room already had an occupant inside.

A certain orange-haired girl wearing a black top and cargo pants sat on an air mattress squeaking lightly when she saw the two.

"Cat?"

"Please don't take me..." she whimpered.

"Relax Cat," Liam stepped in slowly. "We're not here to hurt you. We're here to hide."

"Oh. Come on in!" she suddenly perked up, launching herself into Liam's arms for a big hug.

Shutting the door behind them, the trio sat in the barely comfortable room. It was good to see a friendly face after what had been going on. With the recent hunt of him and Tori, there was no doubt what the issue was.

Demons.

_Not just any demons... _Liam surmised while the two girls chatted about the other's costume and the party earlier.

Wait...

Two girls?

"Cat?" he turned to the redhead who stared at him innocently. "Where's Jade?"

* * *

A soft groan echoed in the small and damp room. Teal eyes fluttered open to see the blurred images of what looked like the old theater; a familiar scene indeed. A thundering rhythm pounded inside their skull as the vision of their surroundings steadily became clearer over time. In an attempt to clutch her aching head, a realization hit when she found that to be impossible.

"Hm?"

Looking around, Jade West found herself bound to a chair, a thick rag tied around her mouth to keep her silent. How did this happen? The last thing she remembered was splitting up from Cat after figuring out the identity of the 'lunatic', telling the girl to hide in the attic where she and Robbie had found her after she ran away. After that, things went dark and now, she was an unwilling captive.

**"Good. You're finally awake..."**

Jade sharply turned to face the owner of the voice. It was clear by the duality in their tone that it was no doubt a demon. What she saw however was not a subjugated human. Instead, from the shadows appeared a thick spider's leg, followed by seven more as her captor's identity was shed in the lone cone of the spotlight.

Her eyes widened in shock as a rather attractive woman, naked from the waist up grinned smugly at her. Her skin, while purple, was as smooth as silk. She had long flowing black hair that covered half of her face. Her eyes matched her perfect skin yet held their own measure of intimidation; a trait that proved true in Jade's case.

**"I was beginning to think that my venom had actually killed you. That wouldn't be any fun, now would it?"**

The teen struggled and grunted behind her gag, defiance clearly overriding the initial shock that stunned her just moments ago.

"It's good to see you still have that fire burning within you. But, I wonder if you could handle the flames of my venom coursing through your veins. How long would flames burn before they dissipate to nothing but dying embers?"

Almost in an instant, the spider woman moved so quickly, Jade's eyes couldn't keep up until she felt two sharp fangs press lightly against her neck. Immediately, she seized up, gasping as the feminine arachnid grazed her jugular, threatening to puncture her tender flesh.

This was the moment Jade felt pure fear.

She was not one to scare easily. If anything, she was the one inciting fear in the hearts of others yet, it seemed the tables had turned.

**"Relax child. I'm not here for you... The one I want is tied to you and thus this is why I have you in such a precarious position."** she whispered, savoring the scent of terror tickle her tastebuds.** "I'm merely here on a mission and once you've served your purpose, I am to release you. So, there's no need to be afraid... this time."**

Jade's eyes shot open upon hearing this.

Whatever this freak's goal was, she was merely the bait to lure the prey; Liam.

**"You've figured it out? That darling puppy, Atsura- or he probably goes by Liam now. He's rather important to my client and I'd be remiss to fail them. So, just fulfill your role and you'll be out of this unharmed. I only need you here so you can't warn him of what's to come."**

As she began her departure, Jade managed to work the rag loose enough to spit it out.

"And what makes you think that he'd just walk into your trap for a simple human?"

Her captor slowly stalked toward the helpless girl with the darkest of smirks.

**"My dear, you underestimate your value in all of this..."**

The arachnid-demon finished her monologuing by pressing her lips to Jades temple, rendering the girl unconscious once more. She knew that her target would be coming any minute and she needed to have the playing field set before his arrival.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

What was supposed to be a night of spooky fun had taken a turn for the worst for Liam and his friends. Jade was missing somewhere in the school. Tori & Cat were safe in the hidden room in the Black Box. On top of that, Beck and Andre were nowhere to be found, though he had an idea. All that mattered right now, was the icy air that surrounded him as he walked through the halls.

Still in his costume, he didn't bother sneaking around.

The sounds of his boots echoed throughout the otherwise silent corridor as he followed the unmarked path. Each step drew him closer to where he figured his friend would be. His suspicions would be confirmed when he noticed what appeared to be a giant cobweb with many of the eight-legged critters walking all over. It was blocking the entrance to the old theater; a cliched location at this point.

Liam didn't care.

A dark grin crossed his lips as he extended his hand, channeling the evil energy into a giant wolf's paw. With one swing, he slashed the obstacle into ribbons, stepping inside with a look in his eyes that symbolized something far beyond evil. As he entered the room, the wall suddenly reappeared as if it'd never been touched. Once inside, he was greeted by the abyss within.

All that could be heard was the sporadic sounds of multiple legs shifting around him.

**"Tell me, young one, are you afraid of the dark?"**

Liam simply stared into the pitch blackness that blanketed his entire form.

"Why would I be afraid of a place I once called home?" he replied in an even tone.

**"I see... Then I guess there's no need to prolong this little teaser."**

At that moment, every light in the room exploded, followed by a lit candle. Soon, another one flickered to life and another and another. One by one, the room became bathed in the faint glow of what seemed to be an infinite number of candles and torches. An unimpressed Liam looked around the room.

"More theatrics? I thought you were trying to lure me here for a fight?"

Growing more impatient, the boy's scowl grew deeper until finally, a large door at the far end of the room began to open, revealing his true destination. Without a second thought, he stepped forward to enter the next room. Unlike the first one, this room was more like the gymnasium where he managed to retrieve Cat's soul from Ahrya.

_Guess I'm not in my realm anymore... _

As the door behind him began to creak shut, darkened green eyes glared at the sight of the one who brought him here.

"Neith..."

**"Welcome, Atsura. Make yourself comfortable."**

"Pass... Give me my friend and I won't rip off your legs one by one."

The arachnoid giggled mockingly at the threat.

**"Such a tempting offer. Unfortunately, I was hired to give you a gift." **she cocked her head to the side, sizing up the stone-faced half-demon. **A task that I intend to fulfill."**

"All I want is Jade..." he snarled, barely able to contain his anger at this point. "Now, I won't ask again!"

Still, this did little to shake the feminine spider who nonchalantly summon the shadows that he saw before. Each one wore hooded robes, but Liam didn't need to see their faces to know who they were.

**"As you can see, I'm holding all of the cards. If you don't want to chat like civilized beings, then I can always have your friends and classmates line up to offer me their souls... and I'll make you watch as I devour the girl's soul last."**

"You wouldn't..."

**"Care to test that assumption?"**

Liam studied the possessed forms of his classmates hidden under cloaks and let out a sigh of frustration.

"Talk..." his glare darkened to new levels of monstrous.

Neith chuckled at the unwilling display of submission. As a reward, she snapped her fingers, conjuring the very person he came for. Jade was cocooned in the demon's webs, unable to move or speak as she looked on at her friend. The demonic gaze wasn't like anything she'd witnessed before as his eyes never shifted to the amethyst hue that became synonymous with his impending transformation.

No. This was something far different.

**"Very good. Now, about that gift..."**

"What about it?"

**"I believe you are familiar with a demon by the name of Ahrya, correct?" **he nodded. **"Well, she's tasked me with capturing the poor girl in order to bring you here; to Nevermore. I assume you know about it right?"**

"You try my patience... Now, get on with it!" his echo sent a shockwave that staggered the souls around him. "What does my world have to do with all of this? You're not making any sense. My home has nothing to do with this."

**"Oh, but it does... Do you see? The gift I was tasked to give comes in two parts. The first is for you to claim Ambrosius Lily."**

Liam crossed his arms, tapping his finger along his forearm; his glare asking the question he refused to say. Neith grinned sinisterly as her face began to contort from the gorgeous woman she once was into a grotesque version of herself that resembled the species she took after.

**"You want to know why? So you can cure yourself..."**

"From what?" he eyes her in confusion.

**"THIS!"**

In a flash, she rushed past Liam only to appear behind him. By the time he managed to turn around, Neith was primed and ready to sink her teeth into him. However, when she bit down, she caught nothing but air. Surprised and baffled, the spider looked around only to see the boy standing where she once stood next to the immobilized Jade West.

Before she could vocalize her displeasure, he'd gone ahead and ripped through the webbing, freeing his friend and partner.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah... Thanks." she wiped herself of the sticky strands.

"Good. Now, stay back." he smiled at her before turning back to the irate arachnid. "I have to go take care of a pest."

Jade never got had the chance to respond as he vanished in the blink of an eye only for Neith to the same. Blow for blow, the two supernatural beings clashed, neither truly getting the better of one another. Whoever threw a strike, the other would simply dodge or avoid the blow completely. It was a game of physical chess, and neither was willing to submit to the other.

**"You're much stronger than I anticipated..." **Neith smirked, narrowly side-stepping a slash of black energy. **"What? No comeback?"**

Liam remained silent.

**"Did I touch a nerve by kidnapping that girl, Atsura?"**

Still, he said nothing; his gaze growing darker by the second.

As the battle continued, Jade began to feel that sinister aura getting thicker. Her lungs began to burn with each labored inhalation of the heavy air around her and her legs became unsteady. Whatever was happening, she knew that she couldn't take much more of the putrid air filling her body. She didn't even have the strength to yell out; her strength seemingly exhausted as well.

Even the robe-clad spirits fell to the ground.

In the midst of the heated fight, Liam happened to notice this just as she dropped to her knees, gasping for air.

"Jade? Aaah!" He cried out as he felt something piercing his shoulder.

Liam clutched his wound as the blood gushed out while Neith wiped off her crimson soaked hand. However, he had little time to really take in the pain coursing through his torso. His body trembled as he worked to stand up only to see the arachnid-demon charge at him. Normally, a full-frontal assault would be foolish. He would merely block the impending attack; he could do it one thousand times even with his injury.

_All I have to do is stretch out my hand and... wait!_

Neith didn't stop in front of him though. In fact, she passed right past him and straight for something else.

_Jade!_

There was no time; even his speed wouldn't be enough to get there in enough time to save her. Liam knew it. Jade knew it. Neith knew it.

The latter grinned wickedly as she stretched her jaw to feast on the weakened prey. She promised not to harm the girl, but she was a demon; they lie. Her fangs jutted out as the terrified looked on feebly at the predator.

"AHHH!"

The scream echoed in the ears of every conscious person around. The only thing was that it wasn't Jade who screamed. In fact, Jade wasn't even hurt. Opening her eyes, she saw someone's back; HIS back. Somehow, Liam had managed to just make it in enough time to at least take the blow. Sure enough, Neith had taken a huge bite out of his forearm.

His body shook violently all of a sudden and his tone dropped to nothing more than a deep growl, worrying Jade even more now. Slowly a black aura began to permeate around his body as she watched his shoulders rise and fall heavily.

"Liam?"

Neith's eyes widened in realization as she released her grip on the boy's arm, taking several steps back while the dark energy. She wiped his blood from her mouth with a frown directed at the now hunched over half-demon.

**"Foolish boy... You should've let the girl die!" **she roared, not out of anger, but out of worry.

"What did you do to him?!" she heard Jade cry out.

Neith simply looked at the convulsing form of Liam. His eyes were fully red, no sign of his green orbs was visible at this point. The black energy that he normally summoned at will began to overtake him, shrouding him in a blanket of darkness. Finally, the arachnoid looked in horror as a shadow began to stir from within the abyss.

From what Neith was able to tell, whatever it was inside the malicious force, it wasn't friendly. The entire dimensional rift began to crack around them as the spirits began scattering around in the air. Soon, only a blood-curdling howl echoed throughout, freezing everyone around.

**"Something we may both regret..."**

* * *

"Cat slow down, please!"

A winded Tori chased after her shorter friend who wasn't listening as she raced down the hallway. After waiting back in the theater's attic, Cat Valentine felt this sudden urge rush throughout her mind anytime she thought about Liam. There was something about him that taunted her brain as she tried to figure out why she felt as if she knew him so intimately.

She continued running, not caring if she left her friend behind. All that mattered was that she needed answers and somehow, without even knowing where she was going, she followed a single sound that prompted her to keep going.

_Almost there..._

* * *

Liam was on a rampage.

By this point, the dark energy that once housed him had shattered completely, leaving an uncontrollable and massive beast unchained. While Neith found herself dodging the hellacious wolf-like creature, Jade was forced to seek shelter behind anything that could shield them from the unhinged monstrosity. Its demonic howling sent shockwaves in the surrounding area, destroying what remained from the Nevermore realm.

If this continued, eventually, this level of destruction would spill over into the human world.

Jade managed to stay out of sight under some conveniently placed rubble while she watched the devastation unfold before her. She'd obviously never saw anything like this, even in her wildest dreams and now? Now she was gripped with fear witnesses Liam's anarchic state.

"This can't get any worse..." she groaned, watching some debris fall in front of her.

"Jade!"

_Oh no..._

The goth girl looked in front of her to find none other than her hyperactive friend, Cat looking in shock at everything that was happening around them. Her brown eyes only grew in size as she gazed at the wild beast tearing down the already cracked dome of spiritual energy that normally hid them from human eyes. As if things couldn't escalate anymore, the creature had noticed the small girl, eyeing her as if she were his next meal; this also gave Neith the opportunity she needed to escape.

"Cat! Get out of here!" Jade screamed.

Cat didn't listen though.

Instead, she slowly approached the now grounded beast. It continued to stare at her with a gaze that was now unreadable; whether that was a good thing or not had yet to be known.

Still, Cat Valentine took one step after another while a terrified Jade (yes, terrified) looked on. Her instincts wanted nothing more than to yell again for the girl to run away but, something stopped her. She didn't know what it was, but it managed to keep her silent as she watched the red-haired girl walk within arms reach of the lightly growling wolf.

"Atsu?"

Time stood still when she said that name. The monster even ceased it's warning growl as ruddy orbs now stared back in both shock and wonder. Even Jade held her breath as Cat carefully extended her hand to his nose. What was even more surprising was that it didn't attack her. She eventually got close enough to touch the towering animal, the tiniest of smiles suddenly appearing on her lips.

"It is you, isn't it?" she whispered happily. "My wolfy, Atsu...!"

It growled softly as it lied down in front of Cat as she knelt down as well. Soon, she was talking to the beast while he responded with a snuggle and gentle interactions. Jade crawled from under her makeshift shelter and started (cautiously) toward the two. When she was close enough, she noticed the instant shift from calm to guarded in the wolf only for it to resume nuzzling Cat.

"He's... like a teddy bear now..." Jade noted, dumbfounded.

"Atsu is really sweet."

"Atsu?"

"That was my nickname for him when we were younger. He was my guardian angel!" Cat cheerfully rubbed his face.

"Demon..."

"Huh?"

"Liam er... Atsu is really a demon. Well, he's half-demon."

Cat pondered Jade's words for a moment, before nodding in understanding.

"Then, he's been my guardian demon!" she exclaimed.

_Leave it to Cat to find a positive in this situation. _Jade smirked. "When we get home, you two are going to explain this little connection of yours. The last thing we need is for a stray to join the group."

"But, Jade... He's not a stray animal."

"I was talking to the wolf boy here."

On cue, the remnants of Nevermore disintegrated to nothing, leaving them three in the old abandoned theater. When it crumbled completely, the wolf began to glow while Cat held his head in her arms. Slowly, its form contorted into a smaller human-like figure hugging the smaller girl back. Dark fur turned back to terra skin. Haunting red crystals returned to the emerald hue that they were familiar with.

Liam had returned.

"Hey, Kitten..." his voice dripped with warmth and gratefulness. "I've missed you..."

Jade crossed her arms grinning while Cat tightened the hug, tears of joy spilling over. It was a happy reunion, but there was something still nagging her mind. Between the spider woman and Liam's state, there was something that didn't settle right in her soul. On top of that, she kept feeling as if something or someone was watching them.

"Maybe we should move this to Liam's dorm? All of this is giving even me the creeps..."

Liam nodded in agreement. Even though his body felt heavy, he dragged both his and Cat's forms up. With Jade's assistance, they left out of the theater. Cat clung to him like glue while they traversed the long hallway. Throughout their trek, they noticed the unconscious forms of their friends and classmates. There was only one person that wasn't accounted for.

A certain Latina who'd been hiding in the shadows.

A certain olive-skinned girl who had witnessed Cat and Jade interacting with a monster.

Not only that, but she'd also seen the beast turn into her challenge partner.

As she leaned against the dark wall, her stunned gaze just stared off into the distance. Her mind couldn't wrap around what she just saw. How would she explain this? Who could she tell? Who would believe her? These questions and more rattled in her mind as she slid down to the floor. In the end, there was only one question that really stood out to her at this point.

_What the hell was Liam?_

* * *

**Alright, that's the end of the first part of our story.**

**The first chapters were meant to introduce the major players moving forward. Before we go into the first big arc-Nevermore. As I cook that up, here's the important recaps.**

***A bored Jade stumbles on the secret of one of the new students, Liam; he's a half-demon. After discovering this secret, the two quickly form a friendship and later, a strong partnership as demon hunters. (Thus far, they've only exercised minor/weak demons).**

***It is now revealed that Cat and Liam have a past together. While the details are still a mystery, they've finally found one another and thanks to an accidental unleashing of his demonic powers, Cat exhibits her connection with him with a simple nickname that she gave him. Now with two demonesses causing the two to reestablish their bond, it's only a matter of time before the true nature of their past comes to the present.**

***Ahrya & Neith are the primary antagonists for this short intro arc as the former has ties to Liam's past as well. What that connection is will be revealed as things progress. As for Neith, she is more of a secondary antagonist as she was hired to deliver a message and a 'gift'. The message pertained to a rare flower known as an Ambrosius Lily; seeking it to "cure" him being the primary goal.**

***Last but not least, there is the entity known as Nevermore. What is it? Well, although I can't reveal that just yet (spoiler lol) just know that the domes of dark energy and the scene in this chapter are hints as to what it truly is. **

**Well, that's all for this chapter, and I'm worn out. I'll be updating soon and, as always, I appreciate your love and support for this and other stories I've written thus far. There's so much that I can't wait to bring to you guys but for now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and be on the lookout for the next one coming soon.**

**Goodnight/morning and enjoy your week!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Christmas Vacation (filler)**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Unexpected**

The cool air bathed the campus of Hollywood Arts as its students poured out of the building eager for the next month of relaxation. Considering it was the month of November, this left many possibilities for the young boys and girls. Of course, this meant plenty of adventures for Liam, who was currently stuffing books into his locker.

After the events that occurred during the Halloween challenge, things had died down considerably for him. After recovering from the fight with the demon spider, Neith, he was grateful that the number of demons to hunt had dwindled after the hallowed holiday. On top of that, he also found himself reunited with Cat who was more than thrilled herself.

In his mind, dealing with homework and plays was a welcomed change from demon hunting; he truly wanted to live a normal life in all fairness. Now, he was simply humming a tune from a musician named Robert Glasper, enjoying the temporary solitude.

Unknown to him, someone was watching him from the shadows.

This didn't go unnoticed for very long though as he turned around with a cautious glare, yet he would find nothing more than the occasional group of students chatting about their month-long holiday plans. Shaking his head, he instinctively rubbed the back of his neck as if trying to wipe away some unseen insect or something; after the events of the past few weeks, it was clear that Liam still hadn't fully recovered.

With a sigh, he shut his locker and began to make his way down the hall only to feel his phone vibrate in his pocket. Groaning softly, the boy pulled out the device and turned it on, seeing that he'd just received a text message.

_**Come to the Black Box, please? Need to talk...**_

Almost immediately, his face shifted from minor vexation to one of confusion as he turned around, heading down his impromptu detour. The random conversations of those passing by took his mind on a rollercoaster of ideas and desires for his downtime. The sounds of his boots could be heard throughout the lone hallway showing that he was indeed alone but, it wouldn't last long.

Pushing the door open, he found himself greeted by the lone figure of Tori Vega sitting along the edge of the stage with a distracted look on her face. He stepped inside, catching her attention, and could tell that something was off. Her face, while holding a small smile, appeared strained. Gazing lower, Liam saw her hands tightly gripping the edge of her makeshift seat and her legs, though crossed, would transition over each other every few minutes or so.

Despite all of these subtle signs, there was one obvious one that he couldn't miss.

"Hey."

"Hey." he grinned softly. "Something on your mind?"

_More than you know, _She mused in her head. "Well, I was wondering if you had any plans for the holidays?"

Liam scratched his chin for a second then shook his head.

"Not really... I honestly was just trying to figure that out when I got your text."

"Oh... Well, would you like to come with us on a trip? Sikowitz usually has us going to different places whenever a holiday rolls around..."

"I don't know. I don't have the money to pay for-..."

"It's usually covered!" she interrupted.

He pondered her words for a moment, weighing his 'options'. While he thought about alternatives, Tori couldn't help but study his features. In her view, Liam was highly attractive. He was tall, well built, and he had a simple yet adorable smile. Plus, she couldn't help but find those bright green eyes so entrancing. Her blush only increased in intensity at the realization that this was her first time noticing him up close.

"Hello?" Reality finally hit her as she could clearly see Liam staring blankly at her. "Earth to Tori..."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

He sighed in disbelief though the smallest of smirks was enough for her to understand that there was no negativity involved with the action.

"I said I'd love to go with you guys."

If it were possible, Tori's smile grew after hearing this.

"That's great!"

"So, where are we going?" he asked, sporting a big smile of his own. "I'd like to know what I'll have to pack."

Then her smile dropped slightly.

"Um... We're waiting for Sikowitz to announce that soon. Though you shouldn't need a passport or anything."

"Oh okay. Well, I can't wait to find out!"

With that, a now excited Liam rushed out of the Black Box, leaving behind an, even more, conflicted Tori Vega to figure things out. Step 1: Figure out how to convince Sikowitz to take them on a trip at the last minute. Step 2: Figure out a good location that would appeal to everyone.

* * *

"I can't believe we're going to Colorado!" Robbie announced excitedly for the umpteenth time.

"I can't believe you still haven't shut up about it!" Rex complained much to his handler's chagrin.

_I can't believe I was able to pull this off last minute... _Tori sighed quietly.

Over a week had passed since Tori mentioned the trip to Liam and it took half of that time to convince Sikowitz to take them to Denver, Colorado for the holidays. There were so many ways this could've backfired but, Lady Luck saw fit to smile on the Latina... but, not without a catch.

"DON'T STOP BELIEVING!" Everyone on the bus plugged their ears when Trina's horrible voice erupted within the custom bus.

"I can't believe Trina came along," Andre groaned, followed by a chorus of agreement. "How did she even find out about this trip?"

"Why don't we ask Vega?"

Everyone turned to an embarrassed Tori.

"Sorry, guys. I didn't mean for her to find out but, she overheard me talking to our parents about it and... well... here we are."

"You failed miserably on so many levels, Tori."

While this persisted, a certain demon and red-head were busy chatting amongst themselves. After the events of Halloween, the two were practically inseparable, a fact that Jade noticed immediately. It was nice to see Cat being happy and... normal? Yep... Ever since she and Liam reunited, Cat seemed to be less jittery and eccentric around the group.

It was then that she wondered: Just what was the nature of their relationship?

It was a question that she pondered on and off as they recovered from the attack and yet, she got nothing in terms of answers. Either Cat would deflect the conversation to something else entirely or she would find herself saved by the bell and disappear in the crowd of students.

_I wonder if they're...? No way... They couldn't be._

The idea she was considering was something that both intrigued and concerned her.

"...they're a couple?"

"What?"

"Liam & Cat? Don't you think they look like a couple?"

She tensed up under her boyfriend, as he whispered in her ear.

"I wouldn't know. I was busy thinking about people crashing and burning on the slopes."

"Well, I think they're a good match..."

It seemed he had noticed the intimate interactions as well. Even now, the two were lying down on one of the makeshift beds near the back of the bus lost in conversation. Their smiles were innocent enough but, Jade couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of jealousy as her two friends shared a healthy laugh before settling down to listen to music on Liam's phone.

She had to admit that Beck had a point; seeing Cat so relaxed and around someone who appeared genuinely interested in her was nothing short of amazing in her eyes. Between Tori's ex-boyfriend and that one guy who only dated blonds, she certainly could do much worse than Liam. Yet and still, she couldn't shake this feeling gnawing at her core.

_Could they really?_

* * *

The sky was bathed in the fading colors of twilight, shrouded by a rich navy blue blanket that succeeded it. It had been a long drive and Sikowitz decided to park at a rest stop to get himself some sleep. While the (mostly) peaceful sound of crickets filled the night, Liam was lying on one of the makeshift beds of the customized vehicle and listening to some music to soothe him when he felt the touch that, unseen to him, held familiarity. Looking up, he found himself looking back at a familiar face.

"You're still awake?"

Yawning, Jade grinned under the bright light of the device.

"I took a nap a few hours ago so I'll be up for a bit."

"And here I thought you'd be snuggled up with Beck right about now," he teased, only to receive a glare for his troubles. "Sorry... It was just a joke."

Clearly not amused, Jade still found herself unable to be truly mad at him.

"Whatever. I need to talk to you though... Outside."

"Um... yeah, sure."

Carefully, the duo snuck off the bus and took a walk to a nearby shelter that was just of sight where the two could have some privacy. While this suited Jade rather well, Liam, on the other hand, was a bit suspicious of the goth's actions.

"So, are you going to tell me what's on your mind? Or, did you pull me into the mosquito-infested park to go sightseeing?"

Jade looked off into the distance, her teal orbs fixated on the darkness of the trees hiding the depths of the wooded area.

"Cat..."

"Excuse me?"

"What's going on between you and Cat?"

Now it was his turn to fix his gaze; emerald staring at the ceiling of the shelter once he lied down on the picnic table. He should've known that the subject was bound to come up at some point; the fact that it was happening now making him grin.

"You're worried that I'll hurt her?"

"I'm concerned about my friend," Jade fired back, turning to find the boy resting nonchalantly.

"Which one?"

He cut his eyes toward her, piercing the armor she lazily put up. Jade stood there with a cautionary glower, silently warning the half-devil that he was treading into dangerous waters. Still, she knew that he was playing a game of chess and she wasn't going to give him a victory if she could help it.

"You know damn well who I'm talking about," Jade paused, releasing a heavy sigh. "I just don't want Cat getting herself so wrapped up in a guy only to be let down again."

This was new for Liam as he was expecting her to threaten him or pull out her scissors on him. Instead, it was the sight of a deeply caring and... troubled(?) Jade advocating for someone who meant a lot to her. He couldn't help but smile at the sincerity exuding from the girl. Sitting up, he decided it was finally time; time to tell her the whole truth.

"I would never want to let her down, Jade."

"How can you be so sure you won't though?"

"Because I failed my sister once..." This caught Jade's attention as she faced Liam only to find him mirroring her. "...I refuse to let her down again."

"S-sister? Cat's your sister?"

"Well... unofficially. We grew up together as kids and we formed a bond."

Jade was speechless.

She had so much she wanted to say but no words came out. Instead, she could only open and close her mouth like a fish while her brain tried to process the revelation that she'd just heard. Liam Marshall & Cat Valentine weren't dating. They were practically siblings. There was no need to worry about either of them breaking up or... getting together?"

"So, you're not dating my best friend?" she fought mightily to repressed the smile that threatened to appear on her face.

"Nope."

"So, you two have just been catching up?"

"That is correct."

"Well, that's a relief. You dodged a bullet; I nearly threatened you with my favorite scissors."

The two shared a laugh that lasted about half of a minute before they came back down to reality. The issue plaguing Jade had passed over and yet, she still felt a slight wave of uncertainty swirling around within her stomach as Liam finally got up to head back.

"Honestly, I do like someone but..." he let that last part trail off.

Jade's eyes narrowed out of curiosity. Liam simply chuckled at her reaction before starting back toward the bus with Jade following close behind, peppering him with questions. By the time they reached the vehicle, her inquiries became nothing more than whispers.

"But, what? Don't tell me you're into Vega!?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway..."

That was all he said before stepping back on the bus but not before giving her a quick hug that made her jaw drop (Remember, Jade West did not do hugs).

For her part, Jade felt two sensations running through her body. The first one was obviously a sense of calm after finally knowing the true dynamic of Cat and Liam's connection. However, there was something else swimming inside of her mind, something even more powerful than the precariousness she felt before.

It was a feeling that could only be answered by two questions:

Who & Why?

* * *

The following morning, Sikowitz managed to get them to the airport in New Mexico. Given that Tori's trip request was last minute, the cheapest tickets to Colorado were on a flight in the state. It took several hours for the plane to arrive, but the gang had come prepared. Once the plane landed, the gang made sure to grab all of their belongings and bags. Once that was complete they all caught cabs to the local ski resort.

The girls took the first cab while the boys rode in the second.

Another scenic trip through the city and the teens would finally arrive at the lodge where they would be staying for the next few days.

It didn't take long for the guys to get settled in and soon, they would head out to the slopes with some of the girls following close by. Surprisingly, Liam decided to stay in as he was pretty tired from the flight and wanted to get some rest. By this point, he was just lying down under the covers, happy to get away from the chilly weather for a bit.

Unfortunately, his attempt at resting would have to wait as a sudden knock tore him from his coveted slumber. Amidst the grumbling, he trudged to the door, forcibly opening it to find a visual he hadn't expected.

Staring back at him was none other than Jade.

Why was she here?

Maybe it had something to do with their previous conversation?

Perhaps it was just her need for some company since everyone was out enjoying the snow?

Was it a demon attack?

Whatever the reason that brought her to his room, it didn't seem to matter as he welcomed her without question.

"Hey. Everything alright?" he yawned.

"Of course... Why wouldn't it be?"

"I thought you'd be with the others, that's all."

"Well, I'm not!" she snapped back.

He held his hands up defensively. The last thing he wanted to do was incite an argument while they were on vacation not to mention, he really wanted to get back to resting as he rubbed his tired eyes. Still, it seemed that Jade was troubled by something and until it was settled, he wouldn't get anywhere close to sleeping.

"Okay, sorry... What seems to be the problem then?"

"I'd rather we talked elsewhere..."

There it was again... That singular trait reserved for only the closest of Jade's confidantes:

Vulnerability.

The way it so heavily laced her words made it clear that she needed this.

"I think I saw a coffee shop a few blocks from the resort. Wanna call a cab?"

"I think a walk would work better."

Liam chuckled while she allowed a faint grin to cross her face. It was good that she wasn't completely moody or else this would've gotten ugly very fast. He grabbed his jacket and followed the Goth out.

Little did they know, a pair of brown eyes watched closely as the pair made their way out of the hotel, interested in their actions.

* * *

As he predicted, the coffee shop wasn't too far away and the weather was perfect as the light snowfall complimented the scenery. They entered the building, settling at a booth in the farthest corner before the inevitable struck.

"What's eating at you?"

Jade didn't say anything at first. Rather than give up the answer so easily, she opted to play this game as calculative as possible.

"Who is it?"

"Excuse me?"

"I believe you heard me quite well."

"Jade..."

"You said it wasn't Cat, so spill it. Who is she?"

Liam was dumbfounded as the pale girl crossed her arms. What he thought was a moment to console his friend instantly shifted into an interrogation. The more he realized her scheme, the wider her smirk grew.

"You set me up..." he narrowed his eyes, clearly not pleased at her deceit.

"You're surprised?"

He let out a low growl at her, mostly from irritation yet, it had little effect on the girl.

"This could've waited, Jade..."

"Well, I couldn't. Now, who is this girl?"

By now, Liam was visibly uncomfortable. His body began to shake lightly as a sign of anxiety that went unnoticed by the dark witch-in-training.

"Why do you care?"

"Is it Vega?"

"What?"

"Did you lie about it not being Cat?"

"No!"

"Oh, God! It's not Vega's sister is it?"

**"IT'S YOU!"** he roared before storming out of the building in a fit of rage. "Happy now?!"

The shop went silent for a few seconds with the only sound coming from the bell attached to the lone entrance. An embarrassed Jade just stared at the wall but she could feel the eyes of the other customers lock on her. She felt the full wave of embarrassment hit her and yet, there was something else that she felt mixed in.

Relief?

Replaying those two words in her head, Jade couldn't find a single thing wrong with the boy having a thing for her. She was attractive. Talented. Fun. Full of life. Opinionated. You name it and Jade probably possessed it. Throughout her time at Hollywood Arts, she'd caught the eye of a few guys who dared to approach her so, Liam could definitely do worse.

_I don't see the... _Then, as if hit with a massive snowball to the face, the real reason for his ire reared its head.

"Beck..."

She was in a relationship that she completely forgot about. It all made sense now. Why on earth would a kind soul like Liam actively pursue someone who's in a relationship? Answer: he wouldn't. Given what she learned about him during their time partnered up, there was little doubt that if she and Beck remain together, Liam would've taken that secret to the grave.

But, all of that was ruined when she tricked him into revealing that secret.

To make matters worse, she actually found him attractive as well, which would've complicated things had that cloak-and-dagger got out.

Unfortunately, in true Jade fashion, she wouldn't see her own fault.

A soft frown formed while Jade stormed out of the store, ignoring the murmuring crowd. As if matching her mood, the wind began to pick up as she stomped back to the lodge, alone and shivering from the chilly air. By the time she traversed the lone walkway to the place, she'd forgotten about the pained look in his eyes. All that mattered now was that he left her at the shop and nobody leaves Jade West.

This was signature Jade storming back to the hotel and that always included a vengeful plot.

* * *

After leaving the coffee shop, Liam decided not to go straight to the resort. Instead, he wandered around the area, taking in the sights and sounds of Denver. It wasn't the most exciting city, but it was far from boring. He checked out a random arcade and even grabbed a bite at a nearby cafe across the street. It was certainly a good way for him to cool off after his outburst earlier.

Just as that moment popped in his head, he felt a twinge of guilt begin to eat away at him.

Of course, he had to take the high road and apologize. Pulling out his phone, he began to text Jade back.

**{Hey. Sorry for snapping like that earlier}**

He pressed send and started back for the hotel; if she was mad at him, then there was no reason for him to expect a quick reply. Given it was the holidays coming up, he began humming carols to himself to keep his mind off of things.

By the time he arrived, his phone buzzed in his pocket at which he swiftly fished it out of his pocket.

**{Jade: No problem...}**

**{Are we cool?}**

**{Jade: Yeah. I just need to confess something to you. Meet at the top of the gondolas?}**

Liam looked up at the darkening sky, wondering if the lifts were still active but if Jade was extending an olive branch, he wouldn't turn it down.

**{Alright. Be there in 5}**

Shoving the device in his pocket, he rushed as best he could in the snow and headed inside. He asked for directions at the front desk and sprinted through the building until he found the lifts. Thankfully, the operator told him that there was one more go-round for those who wanted to see the mountains before they shut down for the evening.

Wasting little time, he stepped inside the warm booth, allowing it to take him up. Despite the snow, there was something amazing about the scene surrounding him. It was breathtaking, but, there would be time for him to focus on that later as he sat, his nerves getting the better of him. All his mind could think about was this supposed confession.

Could she be into him too?

Was it a blatant rejection?

Would she just want to remain friends?

"Relax, Liam..." he slapped his face softly. "Don't get worked up about something that hasn't even happened yet."

The gondola made it halfway up the mountain path when the urge to see the gorgeous landscape got the better of him. However, instead of seeing the glorious mountains, emerald orbs saw something absolutely soul-shattering. Across from him, he watched as the descending lift revealed two people inside. They were caught up in the moment, nude and carefree as they engaged in a quick moment of passion that grew hotter by the second.

Normally, this would've just caused Liam to turn away but, it was the presence of raven hair with purple streaks that gave him all he needed to know what was happening and, more importantly, who was involved.

Though the image of Jade's naked form being handled was both disgusting and heartbreaking, his mind couldn't tear away from the sight until the lift was no longer visible. All that remained at that point was the slow and agonizing ascension to the top of the slopes and an even more dreadful descent that was expected to follow.

Meanwhile, Jade and a satisfied Beck exited the gondola with perverse grins. They were grateful to be able to finish the deed and get dressed before the ride concluded but, for the former, there was another reason for her smirk. While in the midst of passion, she managed to spot the lone form of the half-demon looking back in shock before ending up overtaken by pleasure and lust.

It was cruel, and some would say uncalled for, but this was typical Jade West; vindictive and petty.

"Hey, babe. You coming in?"

She turned to her still rattled boyfriend and gave him a long kiss before separating.

"I'm just cooling off. I'll be inside in a moment."

"Okay then. Don't stay out too long and catch a cold."

And with that, Beck went inside, allowing Jade to finally bask in her victory. Part one was complete and now it was time for the second act to unfold as she watched the remaining lifts slowly arriving and depart; eventually, his lift would come and she'd get to see the embarrassed look on his face and call it even, at least according to her logic.

However, several minutes passed and there was no sign of Liam anywhere. A few more minutes passed and still nothing...

_Where is he? _she wondered as her pride steadily shifted into concern.

Soon, the snow began to pick up, blanketing the sky with its own brand of vengeance as tiny flakes began to pelt her cheeks. Finally, she checked her phone to find that it had been nearly half an hour since she passed Liam and now, the gondolas were officially shut down for the evening.

Teal eyes stared off into the distance with worry as she realized something terrible. Instinctively, she hurried over to the operator in hopes of convincing him to let her back up only for him to refuse due to the incoming storm. The only saving grace of this whole ordeal would be that he offered to contact the mountain patrol and have an APB put out.

This did little to comfort Jade though as the full weight of what she'd done gripped her heart, making her want to vomit. To make matters worse, a blood-curdling howl echoed throughout the night sky, confirming her worst suspicions.

Liam was still up there, and he could be hurt.

..._and it's all my fault._

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Christmas Vacation (filler)**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Full Circle**

Several hours passed by and the entire resort was on high alert for Liam. Sikowitz was busy trying to comfort his students, two of which were completely distraught. For one Cat Valentine, she was near the edge and trying to avoid having a panic attack. Thankfully, Andre & Robbie were there to comfort her. Meanwhile, this left the Vega sisters and Beck to look after Jade who was still shaken up.

Hours of no answers and several questions would do that to a person. Right?

Still, she was growing more and more regretful as the seconds ticked by and she wasn't getting better. Eventually, she felt a sudden urge to be alone and dashed off for the room she shared with the other girls. Given the dilemma, the group thought it best not to disturb her and focus on calming down the aching Cat who was crying about her brother.

Using her keycard, Jade stashed herself inside of the room and plopped on the bed; a miserable heap hoping to atone for her sins.

She'd find any chance for that robbed from her as a knock reverberated through the room.

"Go away!"

Another knock answered her.

"I said...!" She stopped midway into her sentence when the door suddenly opened revealing someone she'd never thought would dare disobey. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for answers, Jade and you're going to give them to me."

"And just why on earth would I tell you anything? Besides, I've already given my account on what I saw before he...!"

"You're lying..."

Silence washed over the room as the mystery person glared at the stunned goth. It was a total role-reversal as Jade found herself in a defensive position.

"H-how would you know if I'm lying or not? It's not like you were there."

"But, I was..." a humorless grin graced the girl's full lips. "From Halloween night to a few hours ago, I've been keeping a close eye on you two and I must say, you've been a bad girl."

In spite of the heat keeping them warm, Jade couldn't shake off the sudden chill that ran down her spine.

"What do you want, Trina?"

The older Vega sibling walked over to the bed opposite her temporary roommate.

"I want the truth, Jade. The. Whole. Truth."

* * *

Another hour passed by and the gang had practically camped out in the back lobby in hopes of getting any word on Liam's whereabouts. At this point, Cat had fallen asleep on Andre after crying herself into unconsciousness. The only one still awake was Sikowitz who was contemplating how to explain the potential worst to the boy's family.

Thankfully, he wouldn't have to do that as a snowmobile came cruising down the mountain face. Even better, he wasn't alone.

On his back, the teens and teacher could see the shivering form of Liam who was clearly exhausted.

"How is he?" Sikowitz asked.

"Surprisingly, he'll be alright. Aside from a slight wound on his forehead, he'll be alright." the driver noted with a relieved sigh. "It's nothing short of a miracle that he didn't get frostbite. We found him passed out at the top of the slope but no signs of any immediate danger. For now, we recommend getting him inside and warmed up though."

"Right. We'll take care of him from here. Thank you so much!"

"No problem. You might want to pick up some over the counter medicine too just in case. He was out there for a fair amount of time."

"Will do..."

At that moment, Cat began to stir in her friend's arms just as they were helping Liam to the elevator that would take him to the guy's room. Thankfully, Andre was able to convince her not to bumrush the weak and unsteady boy.

While she was none too pleased that she couldn't hug the guy she considered a brother, she was happy that he was back safely. Still, there was something troubling her; one question that itched in her brain.

What exactly happened?

* * *

"Spit it out, Jade..."

Jade stared at Trina Vega, feeling something she'd never imagined coursing through her heart when around the girl. Terror. That's right, Jade West was terrified of the girl she'd typically call 'talentless' or 'unlikeable' and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the dynamic had shifted in the latter's favor.

"You're crazy..."

"Crazy enough to tell everyone that you're the one responsible for him disappearing." Once again the goth just looked at her silently. "I happened to be leaving the pool when I spotted Liam rushing out to the gondolas. He was practically begging the operator to let him on before they closed down for the night. Sometime after, I noticed you and Beck getting off and that wicked grin of yours when you've done something vengeful."

"That doesn't mean anything..." Jade fired back. "...and why do you care anyway?"

Trina's mouth opened just as the door opened, revealing the trio of Tori, Robbie, and Beck.

"Guys! They found him!" the former announced. "He's a little hurt but, he's alive!"

Grinning softly at the news, Trina turned back to the alleviated yet conflicted goth, mahogany orbs hardening at ocean-like orbs.

"Isn't that great, Jade?"

* * *

For the next couple of days, Liam had to spend time in a nearby hospital by the insistence of Sikowitz. It wasn't fun, but the boy wasn't in any position to argue as he spent most of the time sleeping and recovering from the extended time in the E.R. He was grateful that his vitals came back on a positive note and that there was no lasting damage to his body.

While the others were told to continue enjoying their week-long vacation, Cat decided to stay with the boy until he woke up. In her eyes, having someone close to her in the hospital left a foul taste in her mouth; the last thing she was thinking about was having fun in the snow. For all she cared, spending time with her brother-figure was enough for her as she opted to spend the night with him while he healed.

She wasn't alone though...

Of course, Jade West would stop by the past few days to see how Liam was doing. However, anytime she came close to going into the room, she'd always stop and turn around, swiftly going back to the resort. There were two reasons for that:

1\. She would see Cat curled up under the boy and her heart would start breaking upon seeing the innocent sight.

2\. The most obvious reason; SHE was the reason (at least indirectly) he was in this situation.

Even now, she found herself in the lobby, wondering just what she would do once she saw him. Moreso, she had to face the reality of what he would do once he saw her. She sat there, staring at the ground and wondering just where did things go wrong?

There was the talk they had at the rest stop. Then her own sense of jealousy convinced her to trick him into revealing who his crush was only to have him go off on her before storming out of the shop. Then, all she remembered was that dark place taking over her thoughts. She felt embarrassed that he'd just leave her alone, but, it was her prying that led to it in the first place.

It was Jade's wounded pride that led her to do the unthinkable; she lured him into a trap that exploited his already vulnerable heart. The thought of his shocked face was enough to make her want to vomit in her mouth. Sure, she was notorious for being vindictive and petty, but upon deep reflection, even she had to admit that she took it too far.

Had she just let sleeping dogs lie, none of this would've happened.

"I guess hindsight really is 20/20."

"Something wrong?"

Jade's jerked in her seat upon hearing the last voice she wanted to hear at this moment. Lifting her head, the pale girl was greeted by none other than Trina Vega raising an eyebrow at her.

"Come here to kick me again, Vega?" she spat.

"Whether you believe me or not, I'm here because Cat called us about Liam waking up."

Jade West nearly shot out of her seat, grateful that she managed to push down the impulse enough to not look like a psychopath. This didn't stop her from grabbing at Trina's coat, her finger tightening around the outer garment as if they were the very words spoken.

"What?!"

"Yeah. Cat said that his condition was stabilized and we came as quick as we could to be there for him," she rested the girl's hands off of her. "Anyway, Tori asked me to let you know so... now you know."

With that said, the annoyed Trina walked down the hallway.

Alone again, the feeling of dread mixed relief as she weighed her options. While she was happy that Liam was finally stable and able to communicate again, she still felt unworthy of seeing him, or more specifically, she feared the inevitable; hatred and vengeful glares filled her head. The anger and judgemental gaze from the boy she considered a friend was all she cared about though...

It was enough to make her eyes start stinging as tears began to surface.

_You deserve it though... _Those dark thoughts began to appear.

_You literally had a guy who genuinely liked you watch you have sex just to get back at him!_

_How would you feel if he did that to you?_

_You deserve his hatred._

_He deserves better...!_

The mental jabs were too much but they just kept coming. One by one, the stinging hits from her brain made her want to just run away and lock herself in the hotel room for the duration of the trip.

However, fate had a different plan though.

"There you are!"

A single touch finally broke the spell of her mental torment as she opened her eyes to find Cat looking back at her with both concern and excitement.

"Jade! Come one, Liam's awake!"

Before she could protest, Jade found herself being pulled down the bright corridors until they reached the room where he was residing in. Instantly, Jade pulled away and stared at the girl who appeared puzzled at her actions. Her brown eyes pondered Jade's awkward stance for a moment before finally asking the million-dollar question.

"What's going on with you, Jade?"

"It's nothing. I'm just a little overwhelmed at seeing him in a hospital bed."

"You didn't feel that way when Robbie was in the hospital, though..." Cat tilted her head questionably.

"That's because I don't really care about Shapiro like that."

"You cared enough to come to see him."

"Umm... I remember trying to sabotage Tori's chances at making it to the play, remember?"

Still, Cat wasn't having it. She continued to pry as if Jade was hiding the keys to the city of gold. One question after another, each one chipping away at the girl's defenses until she was left with nothing left but raw emotions.

"Jade, you're hiding something and I think it's about Liam..."

Fear and dread.

These feelings tag-teamed her very soul. She couldn't tell Cat but, she knew that her friend had enough sense to pick up that she was connected to Liam's state. Should she admit or lie? Tell all or bury the truth?

She swallowed a lump her throat; the decision made.

She went on to explain what happened, from the revelation to Liam seeing her and Beck having sex in the gondola, leaving a certain crucial detail. As tears began to pour down her cheek, Jade found herself captured in a tight embrace, much to Jade's shock. Sure, Cat was at the very least, disappointed in Jade for being reckless, she still cared for one of her closest friends.

"Liam is in there because of me, Cat. I know he hates me!"

"Then try and make things right..."

"But..."

"No buts. You won't know how he really feels until you go in there and see him. You at least owe him that much."

Jade had no argument for that.

"Fine..."

Jade took a deep breath and opened the door. Inside, she found everyone around the hospital bed, each of them having varying looks as she and Cat entered the room. Of course, the only look that mattered was the pair of green jewels staring back at her. Those eyes, calm and unreadable, pierced through her defenses faster than any glare ever could.

"Jade?" His light-hearted tone only made things worse.

"Hey..."

The air grew heavy as everyone watched the soundless interaction between the two. It wasn't until after she saw the ghost of a smile appear on his face that she allowed for the last remnants of her emotional shield crumble.

"What took you so long?" his smile began to grow bigger.

"You were waiting for me?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I want my best friend around?"

The look of confusion on his face gave him an even more innocent appearance that made her heart melt. After all that she had done, he was actually smiling at her as if the previous event hadn't even happened. In spite of that, she knew that she had to make sure. She walked past everyone in

"You don't remember the fight we had a few days?"

He tilted his head.

"We had a fight?"

A sudden understanding began to befall her.

"You don't remember?"

Taking a moment, he closed his eyes and began to go back in his mind. Unfortunately, when he tried to focus on anything during the last few days, everything began to grow hazy.

"I'm sorry... I don't remember much. I just recall doing some thinking and then, everything's dark."

"No need to push yourself!" Sikowitz intervened. "The good news is that the doctor gave you the and just in time! We have the rest of the morning to have fun before we have to fly back and we best not waste it here with this god awful food."

Everyone agreed with the teacher and soon, they began to file out of the room to give Liam some privacy. It didn't take long for him to get dressed and soon, he was discharged with a clean bill of health.

The trip back to the resort was rather eventful as the group constantly hounded the half-demon about being so reckless in weather that he wasn't accustomed to. After the berating ended, they all settled on some indoor fun rather than hitting the slopes. The hot tub and pool were their preferred destination and it was safe to say that everyone was more than happy to enjoy the remainder of their time.

Everyone except Jade.

For reasons unknown to all but Cat & Trina, she opted to remain in her room, citing an upset stomach as her excuse. She'd stew in her moodiness until the girls came back to pack up. In an hour's time, they were on the flight back to New Mexico and, with another day passing by, they were all taken home.

It wasn't the most memorable vacation, but in their eyes, it still beat the war-torn nation of Yerba and its blind chancellor.

It beat that trip by a long shot.

* * *

After getting back home, the gang spent the next few weeks just enjoying the holidays with their families. They hung out occasionally but, there was something going on with Jade who'd been distant... well, even more than usual, ever since they got back. It was concerning but, it seemed that only Beck would be able to get anything out of the goth. Over time, anything about the trip hadn't been brought up and things simply moved forward.

With school starting up shortly, nobody was going to dare try and enter that rabbit hole, not even Liam.

In the meantime, he sat on the roof of the dormitories, the cool breeze doing little to calm his mind. The normally serene rooftop would typically be the perfect place to unwind and unravel the mysteries of his mind had now become no different than any other place as no matter how many times he tried to focus on things, he'd find his thoughts shrouded in a fog.

It was almost as if someone was manually keeping his brain from finding out the secrets that lay within.

What secrets, you may be asking?

Why it was the secret of those missing hours before he woke up in the hospital.

No matter how many times he tried, he'd find himself locked out with a mild headache that forced him to stop.

_Just what the hell is in my head?_

**"Maybe I can help?"**

Liam slowly turned his head to find a familiar sight walking up to him.

"Here to do your own dirty work for once?"

**"I'm not here to fight you, Atsura... I actually came here to help you for once."**

His eyes stared off at the horizon just as the sun had just finished its departure. Seeing the colors of dusk shine brilliantly flawlessly matched his current mood, a mystery. He never understood how the sky could mirror his own emotions and yet he took a little solace in not knowing as well. At least that was one mystery that didn't threaten him with a mini aneurysm

"Given the demon assassin you sent, I find that difficult to believe."

**"Do you really or are you just fighting your instincts because of our past?"**

His entire body seized up at her response. Her infuriating response...

"You're testing my patience, Ahrya..." his voice suddenly devoid of emotion.

He crossed his arms while still refusing to look at the uncharacteristically cheerful person. His glare hardened, gripping the material of his shorts. His hair hung loosely over his face, making him look more carnal. It was clear that the mysterious figure had some significance to him.

**"Would a kiss make it all better?"**

Triggered.

This was all that was needed for him to snap. He turned around to find no one there. Anyone who might've seen his haunted expression in his green eyes might've mistaken him for an escaped mental patient. He was more than happy after remembering that only a few frequented the area during the school week. He looked around, eyes carefully scanning the entirety of the rooftop, to see that he was, indeed, alone. A bead of sweat ran down his side of his face, a sigh of relief slipping from his lips.

The demoness was no longer there and he could finally relax.

That was what he thought until he turned to find himself looking at the crazed grin of the feminine demon. He stumbled backward, dark amethyst eyes glaring at the teasing form of Ahrya.

**"I nearly forgot what those eyes look like when you're angry."** she licked her lips.

His eye twitched as she made her way to the bench.

"We both know what happens when I get angry..."

**"As hot as that would be, I told you before that I'm not here to fight. I really do want to help you out."**

"With what exactly?" his frown slowly sinking deeper.

Instead of answering, she merely tapped her forehead with a sly grin.

His resolve slowly began to chip away now. He hadn't mentioned that to anyone outside of the group. How did she know about his dilemma?

"Y-You've been spying on me, h-haven't you?"

Only one word could explain his actions now: desperation. It was clear from the moment she didn't back down that he wasn't completely himself. His emotions were swirling around his soul violently and, for someone like Ahrya, this was beyond evident; she could practically smell it.

**"No. But, a certain incident in Colorado sent waves in the underworld and Nevermore."** she noticed the confused look on his face. **"...The reason you've been wearing your hair down ever since you came back. I can reveal that part, but, we both know that my knowledge doesn't come for free."**

"We are NOT having sex..." he growled, flaring his anger once more.

**"I don't want it either. I want something a bit more meaningful, Atsura," **She replied with a sly grin.

"Then what?"

**"A kiss... For old time sake?"**

His eyes showed life for the first time since Ahrya took charge of the situation but it did little to help. The damage What was once a feral wolf was nothing more than a submissive puppy awaiting approval from its owner. Two weeks of unbridled torment in secret will do that to anyone, he was no exception.

**"You're crazy!" **Liam roared, eyes blazing furiously.

**"And you're desperate!"**

Still, what was he to do? With his memories practically gone, he didn't have much of a choice. No matter how much he despised her, he couldn't take the suffering any longer. Was it really worth holding onto his petty pride? He wasn't in a relationship so there was no issue with that. Besides, it was only:

"One kiss?"

"One Kiss..." Ahrya whispered, humanizing her voice to match her natural beauty. "I promise."

The two approached each other, neither willing to say another word as they inched closer. Surprisingly, they both a bit hesitant. While Liam's reasoning was obvious, the same couldn't be said for the demoness. Inch by inch they drew closer. The tension was rising. Two creatures with ties to the underworld and a past connection felt a wave that neither had felt in a long time.

What could go wrong?

"Liam/Atsu?!"

He stopped, turning to the lone entrance to find a stunned Jade & Cat looking at him, stunned. It was that moment that Ahrya's facade melted as she forced her lips onto his own. As Cat went over to check on the boy, Jade rushed at the demon with her fist clenched. It was all for naught as Ahrya pushed the boy down before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

While Jade searched around, Ahrya appeared on the ledge of the building.

**"Too slow, human..."**

"Come down here and say that!" she snarled.

However, Ahrya didn't take the bait.

**"As much as I'd love to hurt you, I'm going to give the honor to another."**

Puzzled, Jade narrowed her eyes at the evil entity.

"What are you talking about?"

A large puff of vapor would be her immediate answer, leaving Jade even more pissed off.

For now, she had someone far more important to turn her attention to. Teal eyes locked on Liam with fury burning behind them while Cat helped him to his feet.

"You..." she growled softly, stomping toward him. "You jackass!"

Before Liam could figure out what was happening, he felt a sharp sting sear through his face.

Then another.

Another one.

Four times he allowed Jade's hard blows to make contact before grabbing her wrist.

"How could you kiss that whore?! After everything that bitch has done to us, you were going to do this?!"

Liam said nothing. He simply looked at the ground, his face hidden behind the locs.

"So, you have nothing to say?! After what you told me earlier this month, you go and do this?!"

"Jade..." Cat whimpered, not liking where things were heading. "Please."

"Can it, Cat! This idiot owes us an explanation!"

"I owe you nothing..." he countered, still refusing to look up.

An irate Jade glared at the boy as if she were a rabid animal ready to strike again. Here was Liam literally telling her that he owed her nothing? After what he nearly did? What on earth would compel him to say such nonsense?

"Give me one good reason why you don't?" she crossed her arms, barely able to control her rage at his point.

"Because I remember..."

At that moment, all of the fire within Jade was snuffed out. Any amount of passion and anger became like flickering ashes while his own soul burned like smoldering brimstone. When he did lift his head, she could see the near-feral amber gems searing into her soul. Had she heard him correctly?

"W-what?"

"Oh, you heard me clearly."

He took a step forward, causing Jade to flinch as a result. Gone was the self-righteous vibrato, replaced by the very essence of cowardice as he stalked closer. If that wasn't enough, his dark grunts were the prelude to literal horns protruding from his forehead.

Her body trembled as she tripped over her own feet. Suddenly, she lost the ability to move, as if a multitude of hands held her down. She knew what this meant if what he claimed was true. His amnesia had disappeared, all thanks to that damn demon. There was no time to curse her though as Liam continued to stalk toward her.

Thankfully, Cat darted past him to keep the two separated.

"Atsu, please!" she pleaded.

**"Please move, Cat..."** his even tone shook the girls, but Cat refused to be rattled for long.

"Jade told me already! She's sorry for what you saw; she didn't mean for you to see her and Beck!"

He shifted his gaze to the pure girl in front of him before returning to a still discomposed Jade. He scoffed before reversing the mid-transformation.

"So that's what she told you, huh?" he chuckled smugly while fresh tears began to leak down his cheeks. "I think it'll take more than an apology to make up for setting me up."

Caterina Valentine turned around, looking at the mortified face of her best friend. After what Liam just told her, she couldn't believe that Jade, petty as she may be, would actually orchestrate such a heinous act.

"Jade. Tell me that Liam's lying..."

Silence.

"Jade?"

Nothing.

"Jade!"

"It's true!" she cried out, feeling the guiltiness become too much for her to bear any longer. "He's telling the truth. I was angry after he left and I plotted revenge on Liam after I made him admit that he was crushing on me... I didn't think he would get caught up in a snowstorm after all of that! I didn't want him to get hurt out there!"

Neither could believe what they were hearing as tears of her own began to sting at her eyes. Right now, her reputation as the toughest chick in school didn't matter. What did matter though were the two pairs of eyes looking at her as if she'd committed the most horrendous act ever.

"After seeing her little sex show with Beck, I chose to stay at the top and think. Apparently, that left me wide open to an ambush from Neith who knocked me out and left me to freeze. Little did I know, she also ripped out my memories of the past few hours and thus that's why I didn't remember the argument with Jade. It was only after Ahrya tricked me into a kiss that I got my memories back."

"I'm sorry..."

In one pair, she saw a now simmering hurt and in the other, disappointment.

"I'm going to my room..."

Liam began walking away only to feel someone grab his arm. He half expected it to be Jade but, instead, it was Cat latched to his arm. Without another word or even so much as a glance, the two walked downstairs to his room, leaving a destroyed Jade behind on the roof. For all she'd done, there was no idea she could fathom to justify her actions.

The very thing that she feared had happened.

She was alone.

Alone to endure the weight of her sins as the cool breeze seemed to have an extra chill to it all of a sudden.

_I'm so sorry..._

* * *

**Author's Note**

**Alright, so this 'filler arc' is officially done! While it was relatively short, it did serve as a bridge between the two major arcs. Up next will be a considerable time-skip and I wanted to set some context leading into that.**

***Jade... well being Jade had caused a massive rift in her friendship with Liam as her old habits got the better of her. After she and Liam had a serious talk, she chose to trick an answer out of him. This only served to anger him as he wanted to refrain from revealing the identity of his crush (i.e. her) for one major reason:**

**She's still with Beck. Off-limits. **

***Even worse, after Liam stormed out on her, she set him up to catch her and Beck in a compromising position (sex on the opposite gondola) which led to him to think. He was ambushed by the spider-demon Neith who proceeded to rip out the immediate memories of the few hours leading to her attack.**

***While the gang returned, Neith gave said memories to Ahrya who held onto them for a perfectly opportune time.**

***As of right now, Liam wants nothing to do with Jade and Cat is undecided at the moment.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I'll be updating as soon as I can. Love and appreciation to you all who follow and support this story. I'm off to bed now... Goodnight and see ya next time.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Nevermore**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Unsteady Roads**

Jade was miserable...

After losing Liam's friendship and Cat barely talking to her, the goth had become even more bitter and angry than usual. This, of course, led to a downward spiral as she found herself even more isolated with each passing day. A few months had passed and they were midway into the second semester by this point. With April just beginning, that meant there were several big productions on tap for the final months of the school year.

Yet, somehow Jade didn't care as much as she normally would.

To her credit, it was partially because of the main theme was one she particularly despised overall: Disney. Thinking about it made her want to wretch. Still, the more productions she had on her resume, the better.

However, that left the other main reason for her misery: Liam & Cat.

That's right, she was still sulking (at least internally) about what she'd done and how it affected the pair. It seemed that they could hold a grudge even up to this point which, given Cat's personality and style, was a complete shocker. Still, Jade's resolve to ignore this remained as she ate in silence. It wasn't ideal, but what more could she do?

The night she was rejected by the pair, something in her just... broke.

It took nearly 10 minutes before she finally picked herself up. It took another five for her to gather the strength to go downstairs and leave the building though she couldn't resist a passing glance toward his door as she passed by. She heard the soft voice of Cat from the other side followed by the sounds of sniffing which only added to her guilty conscious.

After that, she felt it was best to keep her distance from them, and the others by extension. No amount of poking and prodding from Tori could shake her out of this funk. Even when Beck tried to cheer her up, it would do little to help as she'd always revert back to square one.

Why are you so distant?

Jade's angry again?

Come hang out with us!

Those were just a few of the things that her mind brought up while she violently stabbed at her chicken salad.

"I'm guessing the chicken had it coming?"

She looked up to see her amused boyfriend taking a seat next to her.

"Yeah. Well, I guess it just irritated me..."

"What? Did it have an opinion?" he chuckled until she shot him a glare. "Sorry. It was just a joke."

"..."

"Jade, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing..." she continued poking at her food.

"It's about Cat and Liam, huh?" She said nothing but her violent piercing did cease. Leave to cool and calm Beck to rub off on her. "Why don't you just talk to them? It's been months now and every time the gang wants to do something, you always back out."

"I've been busy..."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Stuff."

"Babe..."

"Did you come all the way over here just to lecture me about those two?"

Though she was clearly annoyed at this point, there was a certain lack of malice behind her voice. It was almost as if there was an emptiness within her that affected even her most emotional feelings. Beck wasn't sure whether to be grateful or concerned. While he mulled over that, he dug into his bag, pulling out a single sheet of paper.

"Actually, I came over to have lunch with my girlfriend and to give you this."

Jade eyed her boyfriend but took the sheet anyway. She scanned the contents and found her name under one of the productions.

*Role: Princess Jasmine (Jade West)

"Okay, so I actually got the lead role. What about it?"

"You might want to check out who's playing Aladdin."

Shrugging her shoulders, Jade looked over the list again. Back and forth, she looked over all of the characters until she ran across the last name she'd thought to see in the role. Dread filled her heart as she found herself staring at the name that managed to drag out so many emotions from her.

"Oh, fuck me..."

* * *

**"Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning**

**Decades of denial is simply why I'll**

**Be king undisputed, respected, saluted**

**And seen for the wonder I am"**

The other students involved with the productions watched in awe as Liam seemed to channel the very character of Scar, meshing entitlement, rage, and insanity into his essence. His eyes held a degree of crazy that impressed the chosen director, a young man by the name of Eric, along with Andre & Cat who watched as the boy began to wrap things up.

**Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared-**

**Be prepared!**

**Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared-**

His rendition of the song "Be Prepared" was then interrupted by the main door to the Black box theatre being kicked open by the boot of one Jade West. Everyone turned to observe the indifference on her face, including a confused Liam. In truth, this was the first time he'd actually been around her since that night, and given how tired he was from all of the movements he'd committed to, he was beyond nervous.

"You!"

At that moment, his body seemed to shift into auto-pilot as he instinctively dashed to the back of the stage, looking for the rear exit. Her scowl deepening, Jade took off after him, eyes fixated on catching the demon boy and getting some answers. With the two gone, Eric adjusted his glasses and turned to the remainder of the cast.

"Well, that's was a fantastic case of playing Scar in the musical sense, for what lasted at least."

After exploding through his means of escape, Liam's mind shifted into gear trying to figure out what he did to have to be hunted down by the scissor-wielding, coffee-loving girl. To his memory, the two hadn't spoken to one another for months and this was how she chose to enact their first encounter? Turning a corner, he could hear her screeching his name, showing that she was indeed faster than he gave her credit for.

_What to do?_

Another corner turned and Liam found himself in Sikowitz's classroom, grateful that the teacher was entering the room at the same time. Upon seeing one of his favorite students in such a state, he felt compelled to ask.

"Ah! Liam, what are you doing here?"

"J... Ja-..." he wheezed.

"Ja? What is...?" At that exact moment, the sound of one Jade West rung in their ears. Even more confused, Sikowitz thought it best to stand between the two. "Alright, what's going on here?"

"This!" she pulled out the piece of paper, shoving it at the older man.

He looked over the list with raised eyebrows. "The casting list? What about it?"

"Why would you put us in the same production?!"

"His audition was the best out of the bunch and so was yours. I'm failing to see the problem."

At this point, Jade was ready to blow a gasket. True, the man had a valid point, but that didn't change the fact that she didn't like the results.

"Change it!"

"Wait! That's what you're so pissed off about?" the two turned to face a now recovered Liam. "That's why you were hunting me down? A stupid role in a play?!"

"What of it!"

With fists clenched, Liam felt that familiar urge to go off building up within himself.

"You insufferable gank!"

"You arrogant dick!"

"ENOUGH!" both parties turned to a now visibly upset Sikowitz. "I don't know what happened between you two, but from the look of things, it's clear that you both need an outlet to expel this toxic negativity radiating from your pores. For starters, I am NOT taking either of you out of the production of Aladdin. Secondly, you two are in desperate need of some 'team-building' skills. So, with that being said, I am ordering you both to meet me at this address tonight. Don't be late..."

He handed them each a small piece of paper and walked out of the room without another word.

After being chewed out by Sikowitz, Jade and Liam stomped down the hallway, neither happy with the teacher forcing them to cooperate. The latter was especially miffed that he had to spend time with someone so selfish and obnoxious.

"This cannot be happening," he grumbled while furiously raked his hands through his hair.

Jade took notice of this, frowning more out of concern than irritation at this point. While she too wasn't a fan of having to spend time with the guy, she wasn't this upset about it; a fact she made a mental note to evaluate. Up to now, she made it her mission to avoid him outright and now, she was facing a demand to be around him.

So, why wasn't she just as angry now?

"Whining like a little child isn't going to change anything..."

"Bite me, West."

"What's your deal?" Cutting his eyes, Jade did what she did best, match his force with that of her own. "You want to go again, hotshot? I've been waiting for an excuse to break in my newest pair of scissors." she snarled, though not without her vicious smirk.

"Leave me alone," he spat only to clutch his head while not missing a step as he walked past her. "I'm fine."

Her left eye twitched violently as she watched the current 'bane of her existence' departing.

Nobody talked like that to her; nobody dared to talk down to her as if she wasn't relevant and yet, here she found herself trying to decipher the level of disrespect that she'd just experienced. New levels of rage began to fill her body, fury flowing freely through her veins as the object of her vengeance continued down the hall. Like a bull, Jade West saw nothing but red.

Before they realized, Jade had grabbed the scissors that were hidden within her bookbag, charging at the boy whose back faced her.

But she should've known better...

Suddenly, time stood still as the two found themselves staring eye to eye.

A few moments ticked away before she realized the reality hitting her; she was pinned against the wall near her a set of lockers. Her arms were held above her head, suspending her body just a couple of inches from the floor. On his face sat a sadistic grin that borderline insanity. His eyes lacked any light, encompassed by a void that nearly stopped her heart.

For the first time since that night, Jade felt legitimate fear paralyze her.

That wasn't the most important thing to her though as she futilely glared back. "Haven't you hurt me enough?"

Small drops now broke free of their fleshly prison, descending to the dirty floor below.

Jade could see that there was something much deeper that was unleashed from this boy. Inside of this young man, a beast lay dormant, a beast that only served to scare but intrigue the goth as well. This wasn't like Beck at all.

When he exploded, it was like a volcano, pure destruction that destroyed anything that dared get in its way. This, however, was a wild animal that just wanted to be left alone while everyone tormented it, painfulness and anguish flickering in its eyes as he simply desired peace. To make matters worse, her brain reminded her of one overlooked detail.

It was her fault...

Before any of this happened, they were practically inseparable. It was her own egotistical desire for answers that even started them down this rocky road and then, she allowed her own pridefulness to lead her into committing that disgusting act just to 'save face'.

_No wonder he walked away..._

Swallowing a lump in her throat, she closed her eyes, preparing to do something that she absolutely detested to do.

"I'm sorry..."

"What?"

"I said, I'm sorry." she sighed, no sign of derision concealed in her words. "Now can you put me down?"

She watched him blink several times before letting her down; she made a mental note of his otherworldly strength.

"My bad. Sometimes, I don't know my own strength..."

"I'll keep that in mind from now on," she dusted herself off, chuckling softly. "I forgot you have a nasty temper sometimes."

"Says the girl who just charged at me with a pair of scissors," he copied her actions.

"Oh right..."

"Guess we're both a little screwed up, huh?"

"Some more than others," she averted her gaze, letting her raven hair mask the blush creeping along her cheeks.

Little did she know that Liam had done the same thing.

"I... guess it wouldn't be so bad hanging out with you again."

"That's good enough for me," To his surprise, Jade smirked softly. "But, if you tell anyone I apologized, I'll probably skin you alive. Demon or no demon..."

"Got it."

"Good, now let's get out of here." she started walking off only to find him rooted where he stood. "What now?"

"I have to get some books from my locker so,"

"Say no more," he rolled his eyes at the sight of her holding a hand out to stop his impending explanation. "I'll just see you tonight, alright?"

"It's a..."

* * *

"...date?"

"That's right! If I recalled, Jade did this exercise along with Ms. Vega before!"

"Don't remind me..." she huffed.

"Anyway, you two are going on a date at this jazz club and you're going to learn to understand each other. As friends and actors, it is your duty to get into each other's minds so that you can build chemistry moving forward. Besides, it's either this or you'll have to forfeit your roles and take counseling with Lane."

Hearing that this was some form of date didn't sit well, but what could they do?

"Fine/Whatever..." they relented, despite their discomfort.

Sikowitz nodded and hopped in his pickup truck, leaving the pair to enter the venue. If it helped, the atmosphere seemed to fit them as its natural dark and mellow environment appealed to their inner selves. Plus, if one were to forget the minor tension, the company wasn't so bad. They took a seat at an open table while a young woman sang "Love Like That" by Snoh Aalegra whilst backed up by a local band.

It was calming but, it was clear that wasn't enough to ease the enmity that remained around them. Rather, there was something that they both wanted to talk about but, neither could gather up the courage to say what was on their minds.

"Awkward, huh?"

"Is it that obvious?" Jade rolled her eyes.

"Mock me if you want to, but we both know that there's something eating away at us both. If we'd just talk..."

"Maybe I don't want to talk about it...?!" she hissed, making sure that no passersby would overhear. "I just want to get this over with."

"Right... Okay then. I'm going to the bathroom then."

She waved him off dismissively. At least now she had the chance to think about what was happening. She was on a date with a guy that wasn't her boyfriend, courtesy of Mr. Sikowitz. If that wasn't enough, she had another issue that continued to plague her very soul.

She actually liked the idea and felt guilty about it.

That's right.

Jade West was far past attracted to the demon many knew as Atsura. She was into Liam and it scared her to admit that within herself. The idea of her being on a date was practically a dream yet, she knew that she was betraying Beck plus, after what she did, there was no way that Liam could feel the same way about her now. It was all too much for her process which is why she isolated herself for all of that time; the true reason.

_Why are things so complicated?..._

Her brain would've overtaken her had it not been for hearing the vibrating cellphone in her jacket pocket. She pulled out the device, seeing the picture of none other than Liam appear on the screen.

**{Liam}**

**Meet me on the balcony...**

Wondering what he could be up too, she obliged. Jade scooted past the various teens and young adults until she found the stairs that led to the upstairs area. The music and ambiance persisted, luring her to whatever her friend(?) was planning. In truth, she wasn't sure if this was set-up like the one she did to him but, her heart convinced her to keep going.

_What if he's playing me?_

_It's got to be a trap!_

_Turn around, Jade!_

_No good can come from this!_

Her mind just kept screaming at her but, she ignored it; she owed him that much. When she arrived at her destination, she could see the vineyard-like setting that where a few other couples were sitting and enjoying the vocalist who started singing another song by the same artist. He was leaning against the railing, staring at the scenery of the city as it illuminated the peaceful night.

The way he looked out at the area, he looked so handsome and calm, a complete contrast to the awkwardness he wore just minutes before. His emerald eyes were so focused and full of light as a light grin rested on his lips. His Olive green shirt hugged his body just right, serving as another reason she couldn't stop staring at him.

**It's not that I don't want you here (yeah, yeah)**  
**It's something about the way you stare into my eyes**  
**I know that I don't make things clear (no)**  
**I fall for you every time I try to resist you**

She looked like she was looking at a completely different person now when he slowly turned to finally notice that she had actually come. He motioned for her to join him in the tranquil city watch. She agreed and took a spot next to him, just taking in the sights and sounds.

**We can get away**  
**Palm trees, beach views**  
**Ordinary day**  
**All I wanna hear is inner visions on replay**  
**And sit right next to you, you**  
**I try not to show how I feel about you**  
**Thinking we should wait, but we don't really want to**  
**I just wanna get away**

**And sit right next to you, you **

"It's been a while since I've seen something so amazing." his smile only grew bigger."I never knew this city could be so beautiful."

Even Jade found herself giggling a little at his purity, cutting her gaze every so often.

"It is a complex city..."

"Reminds me of someone I know," he turned his stare to her.

The stability in his voice made Jade want to melt, yet, she still held back, simply blushing while keeping her eyes on the lively city. But, one thing was evident in this simple action. Thankfully, they were in one of the far corners of the balcony area so they were afforded privacy.

**I don't wanna kiss you**  
**Yeah, I just wanna feel you**  
**Feel you**

**I want you around (around)**  
**Around**  
**I want you around (around)**  
**Around ('round, 'round, 'round)**  
**I want you around**  
**Around**  
**I want you around**  
**Around, around, 'round, 'round**  
**(I want you around)**

"Jade..."

She flinched.

"Jade, please..."

She clenched her eyes shut. "I can't..."

"You can't what?"

**Come through, I think I need you here**  
**(But) I swear it's hard to keep these feelings to myself**  
**Now you're the one I'm thinking of**  
**My higher ground, my rocket love**  
**Fuck gravity, I'd rather stay up here, but...**

"Do you remember when we first met?" she slowly rubbed up and down her left arm.

Now it was Liam's turn to wonder. He shook his head and scoffed. "How could I forget? We nearly killed each other..."

**We can get away**  
**Palm trees, beach views**  
**Ordinary day**  
**All I wanna hear is inner visions on replay**  
**And sit right next to you, you**  
**I try not to show how I feel about you**  
**Thinking we should wait, but we don't really want to**  
**I just wanna get away**  
**And sit right next to you, you**

When he laughed at the memory, Jade could feel much of the uneasiness begin to melt away. A delicate situation like this required some consistent chiseling rather than a full-on assault. Fortunately, she felt it was safe to come a bit closer and was elated to see him actually enjoying himself. Even more, she was beginning to enjoy herself as well.

"I have to be honest, I was shocked that you didn't back down that day. Normally, the other students cower and run away. Not you though..." she gazed at him once more, studying his every move. "You not only stood up to me but, you stood your ground."

"And thus started a beautiful friendship." his sly smirk didn't go unnoticed by the raven-haired beauty. Letting out a soft giggle, Jade saw what appeared to be Liam transitioning back into his old self. "I'd say it was worth the threat."

**I don't wanna kiss you**  
**Yeah, I just wanna feel you**  
**Feel you**

"You... you still consider me a friend?" she whispered.

"I'd like to think so..." he rubbed the back of his neck frowning softly. He knew that the elephant in the room was about to be addressed.

"But... I-!"

"You did something that was completely cruel, disgusting, and uncalled for... But, you've also suffered, endured, and beat yourself up about it in more ways than one."

It seemed that his words hit home when she shut her eyes tightly. He wasn't lying though, she'd been haunted by the image of his broken expression back in Colorado. Though they were far apart, she still managed to see that he was damaged by what she did. If she ever had a single regret in her life, that would be the gold medal winner.

"You're right." she smiled bitterly. "I was selfish and stupid and..."

She never got to finish her self loathing thanks to Liam pulling her into a warm embrace.

**I want you around (around)**  
**Around**  
**I want you around (around)**  
**Around ('round, 'round)**  
**I want you around**  
**(Darling, I want you, yeah, yeah)**  
**Around**  
**I want you around**  
**(I want you around, yeah, yeah)**  
**Around, around, 'round, 'round**

Now it was his turn to comfort her. Her breathing became more rapid and shallow while his thumb stroked her back. He didn't like that she was torturing herself and he wasn't going to let her do it anymore. As the song began to conclude, he just rocked her side to side while she willingly followed his movements.

"Jade. I forgive you," his voice was so tender and loving. He lifted her chin up softly, allowing her to meet his gaze.

She could just melt when she found herself looking into the eyes of her friend. Gone was the disappointment, only the welcoming look remaining as she tried to resist the smile that was tugging at her lips. Eventually, she caved and buried her head in his jacket as she hugged him, the hold tightening as if she feared him floating away in the air should she lose her grip.

"Thanks."

"Of course! Besides, Cat doesn't like that we haven't been talking all of this time."

"Is she still mad at me?"

Liam shook his head, further explaining that the unicorn-loving girl had gotten over the deeds conducted and was just waiting for Jade to come back with the group. It was surprising to hear that the normally spontaneous Cat could be able to maintain such determination for so long. It was both impressive and justified.

"Well, I'm glad that she's forgiven me."

"Of course! This is Cat we're talking about."

As the two laughed at the joke, neither had realized that they'd been in the same position for a good while. Once they did recognize this, both teens pulled away as if they'd been burned. But, as Liam nervously smiled, he noticed the same expression on Jade's face. In fact, he began to notice signs that he hadn't noticed before.

_Could it be that... No way._

He watched as Jade began to shift on the balls of her feet.

The lack of eye contact.

The sudden rosy tint of pink on her cheeks.

If these were indicators of what he suspected, then maybe he needed to pay attention more often.

"Jade?"

"Hmm?" she mentally cursed herself for sounding so wanting.

"Thanks for being a great date. One of the best I've ever had!"

His smile was warm and comforting for Jade who was so used to being cold and distant. How he was able to do this, she didn't know, but, maybe she'd take the time to figure it out?

"I'm sure you've had better dates than this emotional rollercoaster, right?"

"Nope. Can't say that I have."

Instead of challenging the half-demon, Jade simply accepted the compliment. It wasn't the most ideal way of experiencing a date, but the goth could definitely think back to some far worse ones. With a smile, the two decided to head back inside and enjoy the rest of their evening.

* * *

**A whole new world**

**A dazzling place I never knew**

**But when I'm way up here,**

**It's crystal clear, that now I'm in a whole new world with you**

The pianist started to play a bit harder to give the tone a bit more magnitude which suited the couple just fine. They pressed on with the song, each giving their all to the part they played. After the big climax, the tone settled down, from strong and passionate to soft and elegant. By now Liam and Jade were lost in each other's gazes, a collective grouping of pain, recovery, and now love.

**I'll chase them anywhere**

**There's time to spare**

**Let me share this whole new world with you**

Liam pressed his forehead against hers, a feeling of desire radiating from him.

**A whole new world**

**Is where we'll be**

**Liam: A thrilling chase**

**Jade: A wondrous place**

**For you and me**

Even as the music died down, the two remained like that for an unknown amount of time, each content to remain there. This sense of peace, that could only be felt with one other person, flowed through them like water down a stream; it was natural. It wasn't until the sounds of someone clearing their voice caught their ears, did they pull apart.

"Splendid! You both performed admirably and I couldn't be happier! It seems that 'date' did you both some good." Sikowitz piped up with an eager smile.

_And opened up a rabbit hole... _they both mentally replied.

"Anywho... It's clear that you have the teamwork aspect together but, what about the understanding portion of this exercise?"

Liam raised his hand first.

"I learned that while Jade can be rough around the edges, she just has a fire that she's learning to channel. With patience and a bit of forgiveness here and there..." she narrowly resisted the urge to blush upon hearing that part. "...that fire can light up the skies and keep you warm. Screw her over and you'll wind up getting burned."

She elbowed him in the side but smirked to remind him of her playful side.

"Excellent! Jade?"

"Fine. Liam, though he's a bit of knucklehead at times, is actually a complex soul who deserves the same effort that he gives out. Anything less, and you'll find he can live life as if you never existed. Any more and well... Who knows where that could lead to?"

Though she shrugged off that last part, the two knew what she meant; a testament to the previous night.

"That is perfect! Now, with this debacle finally settled, you both can leave me and my coconut to our own devices."

Immediately, the grin/smirk dropped from their faces as the teacher walked past them both clutching the fuzzy milk filled fruit.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Doubtful... Whatever he does to those things, I heard they give him visions."

"Let's go."

Jade and Liam took their leave from the class, chuckling at the possibilities of what their acting teacher/mentor could possibly do with the coconut. It wasn't until they got to their lockers that the laughter had died down. They continued to chat about the upcoming production as they departed while a pair of brown eyes watched on with a soft smile.

"Took you long enough..."

* * *

**Author's Note**

**Okay, so this was the introduction of the Nevermore Arc while tying up some loose ends. The concept of this arc will be explained as we proceed onward but, what is going to happen between Liam and Jade? Sure, they're friends but, how close are they really going forward. What is Nevermore? And what new threat awaits them? **

**Two chapters in two days? Man, why do I do this to myself? I'm tired but, I'm glad to get this out before the weekend really started. Peace and love everyone. Ase'.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh Demon, My Demon**

**Rating: T**

**Series: Demons**

**Pairing: ?/?**

**Arc: Nevermore**

**Summary: ****One year has passed since Jade & Beck got back together and the couple has been going strong ever since. Everything should be perfect, right? Well, yeah... and Jade can't stand it. There was no spark, no fire... All of that changes when she runs across a new student with a dark secret as well as a deep connection to someone else.**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Ultimatum**

The underworld.

Hell.

Tartarus.

Nevermore.

Whatever name you'd call it, the realm was practically the same.

Within its depths, the souls of the damned cried out in anguish as their individual torment persisted. The smell of sulfur and despair would welcome the newest denizens to arrive for the beginning of their eternal suffering. Deeper in the kingdom of darkness, there was a round table with equally aphotic figures filling each of the cardinal seats but one.

**"I've had enough!"** a booming voice erupted, shattering the silence. **"How much longer must we wait in this wretched prison?!"**

**"Calm yourself, Astaroth..."**

The hulking male demon shot his burning glare at the feminine body seated next to him. In contrast to the hatred burning in his eyes, the hidden woman remained calm as she removed her hood to reveal amethyst eyes locked on to the fiery orbs. Her skin was a paler shade of her gem and her white hair was tied in the neatest braid that flowed down her back.

What truly stood out was the cocky grin on her lips; a look that added fuel to the pyre.

**"Don't you dare patronize me, Lilith!"**

A haughty chuckle passed her lips. However, before she could reply, another voice across from them spoke up.

**"Really, Astaroth... Have you no charm or respect?"**

Both figures turned to the male voice who peered at his nails nonchalantly. His face was your typical tan hue with short spiked brown hair. His eyes glowed an eerie shade of pink as he smiled smugly. Interestingly, the most notable feature wasn't himself but the two succubi that flanked him while he leaned back in his seat.

**"I wouldn't expect a pretty boy like you to understand, Bael... You've always been complacent ever since you were brought into the fold."**

**"I can't help that I'd rather enjoy the perks and sweeter things within Nevermore," **He replied before stealing a kiss from one of his charges. **"Besides, Lilith was here before any of us; doesn't that merit honor?"**

Astaroth growled but never got a chance to retort. The sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the room, catching everyone's attention. A tall and dark-skinned man walked inside with a rather confident Ahrya by his side. His eyes were calm pools of emerald a glorious contrast to the greying beard on his face. Despite his aged appearance, he still held the visual aspect of strength.

"Enough bickering, my friends. That's no way to welcome our newest comrade, is it?"

His voice was tranquil, yet the respect that it commanded was apparent as the other five stood up for him. He smiled softly, directing the girl to the vacant seat next to him before taking his own seat at the throne before them.

"As we welcome our newest general to the fold, I am also pleased to announce that she has provided me with excellent news; news that could open the door for us to leave this cursed wasteland and dominate the entire realm."

As expected, the other five members began to murmur in both confusion and intrigue.

**"Lord Kain, what do you mean?"** Lilith's brows knitted in a soft frown.

His lips twisted upward, the first sign of the evil that permitted him mastery of this part of the world. Soon his eyes began to glow with a sickening glee as he turned to his newest general who nodded in understanding.

**"The time for war is coming..."**

* * *

"Achoo..."

"Bless you!" Cat cheerfully handed him a tissue.

Liam took it with a smile as the red-head went back to her reading one of her picture books. In the meanwhile, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched. While Andre began to talk about an upcoming talent show, Liam found that cautious sensation growing stronger as his eyes scoured the sea of his peers. Though he found nothing out of the ordinary, that feeling lingered as he turned his attention back to his friends; surprisingly, the warm brown eyes of Cat staring back at him with concern.

What's wrong?

Nothing...

Atsu...?

Oh how he both loved and hated when she called him that, even if it was simply implied. He would inwardly groan, knowing where the silent conversation was going.

It's nothing. I just got lost in thought.

She eyed him up and down before finally settling on his questionable answer. Liam was relieved when she opted not to pry further, though it did little to help the unsteady notion that he was the target of someone or something...

Little did he know how right he was.

Several blocks away, a pair of amethyst orbs looked on from atop one of the apartment/business buildings. Behind her stood another figure wearing a trench coat and a khaki hat. Underneath that, golden locks flowed in the wind as she leaned against a cooling unit.

"Is that him?" the mystery woman asked.

"Of course," her elder chewed her lip lightly in conflict. "There's no doubt about it, Serenity!"

"Then what are your orders?"

The older woman parted her lips, giving a nearly inaudible set of instructions that Serenity understood.

"And what of the demon guarding him?"

"Do what you will... She's of little consequence."

With a smirk of arrogance, the cloaked woman nodded in understanding.

"As you wish, M'lady..."

* * *

During Sikowitz's acting routine, the coconut lover had chosen several students for his usual improv exercises. Among them, several original pairings were made until he came across two names that hadn't been chosen: Jade & Tori.

Coming to terms with this realization, he released a frustrated sigh before calling the two on stage.

"Alright ladies, I want a good, clean performance," he warned. "Your challenge revolves around two bitter women meeting for the first time at the grave of someone dear to you both after years of avoiding the other. Jade, you are the widow while Tori will play the role of his sister."

'Oh goodie...' the goth rolled her eyes before attempting to get into character. 'If this isn't asking for trouble...'

"And action!"

"Oliver!" Jade pretended to break down. "Why did you have to leave me so soon? I know that we swore 'til death do us part' but, I never knew death would be so selfish and want you all to herself...!" she then dropped to her knees, her sobs coming off as truly realistic. "It seemed like just yesterday, we were walking along the shore of the beach when you found a helpless baby turtle under a swarm of gulls and rescued it from those wretched creatures and now..." she bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears threatening to overflow like a broken dam.

This was when Tori stepped on the scene; her steps catching Jade's attention, her sorrowful stare all of a sudden contorting into a hate-fueled glare.

"Hello, Raven..." he tone, while devoid of discernable feeling, still carried a measure of turmoil. "...it's been a while."

"What are you doing here?!" Jade snarled at the stoic Tori.

"I came to see where they buried my brother. Isn't that apparent?"

The class watched closely, interest and worry mixing amongst the teens in attendance, none more so than Liam himself.

"What's obvious is, you broke Oliver's heart all of those years ago," Jade pointed her sharpened nail at the girl. "...which is why I ask again: Why are you really here?"

"How dare you question my intentions?!" the honey-eyed girl growled. "He is my brother and I loved him just as much as you did!"

"Oh spare me, Bianca! You left him behind once you found out he and I were together!" the young man began to pick up that something wasn't right. "You didn't even attend our wedding! After we said our vows, we found out that you not only didn't support our union, but you stole his half of the inheritance. You left your own brother penniless just to stick it to me and you know it."

The sense of realism behind Jade's words seemed to cut deeper than any knife ever could. She stared at the goth, seeing anger and ruthlessness radiating from her eyes, but somehow, maintained her character. either this was just exceptional acting on both girl's part, or there was truly something underlying behind their performance.

Interestingly, Liam would notice a visibly uncomfortable Beck sitting off to the side. While the two continued, he would notice subtle signs that he wasn't at all pleased with the direction of this improvisation exercise. It was finally confirmed when he quietly excused himself from the class to 'go to the bathroom' citing an upset stomach; this combined with Jade's vision turning abruptly to the boy before he disappeared into the hallway before returning to the scene playing out with a now nervous Tori.

"I did what had to be done, Raven! My... my brother Oliver, while the kindest of souls, was never the sharpest tool in the shed. That was proven when he chose to pick up a stray like you." The classroom erupted into a chorus of 'Oohs' at the implications being made. "Before he took you in, you bounced from one failed relationship to another, at least until you managed to accept your destiny of being a whore. If I recall correctly, you chose to spend a lot of your time with another man while he was ill."

Collective gasps filled the room now, while Liam suddenly felt dragged into things.

"You know me and Lance were just friends..."

"But it's the truth!" Tori snapped. "You and I both know what you are. We both know the truth, Raven! Oliver was wrapped up in your appeal, somehow falling under your spell and look at you now? A bottom feeder playing princess... Pathetic."

At this point, even Sikowitz was beginning to grow uncomfortable, but one look from Jade West halted any attempts at stopping the scene.

"It's funny," Jade smiled, her visage aphotic than the deepest chasm. "You go on and on about how naive Oliver was. You brag about stealing his part of your family wealth and how you 'know the truth'. But let me ask you something, 'sister-in-law'." She narrowed the gap between them, growing dangerously close to the ornery girl. "I know something about you that you've kept a secret up until now."

Tori contracted her eyes, not liking where this was going.

"I learned that you're not really his sister... Bianca."

Confused eyes started to expand the implication made by Jade (or Raven as she was christened). To those watching in the audience, this scene was beginning to pick up but, only one looked on suspiciously. The whispers and murmurs formed a sickening symphony in Ahrya's head as she placed a hand on her chest, feigning offense to the statement.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she spat, mortified at what she was hearing. "It seems the death of my brother has truly destroyed what few brain cells you had remaining." her attempt at appearing nonchalant became more obvious with each passing second, and Jade knew exactly why.

"Really? Or is it because of that kiss I caught between you two before he chose me?"

The whole room fell silent. Even Liam leaned in his seat in shock at the destination of this dialogue. There was no doubt now; whatever Jade was talking about, it had something to do with Beck's sudden departure and Tori's discomfort.

"I found evidence that revealed that you and Lance were never biologically related."

Honey brown orbs shot opened in shock at the words being hurled at her; her mind unable to decipher the lines of reality and fiction presented by the goth in front of her. If it was any consolation, even Liam's curiosity was further piqued as he too could sense there was something a bit weird in his friend's direction for the skit.

"You're crazy!" Tori declared, her very being growing more and more unhinged at the statement. "Oliver and I, we grew up together. He took care of me and protected me when we were children! After his mother abandoned him, we later learned that we shared the same father. I am his sister!"

"Funny, because I've met his mother and she's said otherwise," it then became clear, even to Sikowitz who stared slackjawed. "She never once mentioned you. I also ran into someone else who told me everything about you; his real sister. Face it, you're a con-artist who pretended that you were related to hide a secret affair."

BRNNNNGGG!

_Saved by the bell... _Liam exhaled in relief.

One by one, the students filed out of the room, their murmurs pertaining to the revelation exposed by the goth. It would be the talk of the school for a good while but for now, it would be lost in the sea of students mixing into the hallways; Liam figured that it was only a matter of time.

It seemed to him that once he and Jade returned from their vacation, all of the good vibes soon disappeared without a trace, replaced by stressful antics that remained a mystery to him. If he was lucky, it would remain that way. However, the electricity crackling between the two girls at this point would more than likely find its way to him at some point.

Betrayal.

Remorse.

Hatred.

Those three traits permeated the room as Tori silently walked out of the room, keeping a close eye on Jade West; a rather smart move to be honest. It wasn't until she finally stepped out that Jade finally broke her dark focus, remembering that she was in public. An attentive Sikowitz watched carefully while Liam just sat in his seat as she felt a sudden blush burning her cheeks.

* * *

Various buildings passed the duo of Liam and Jade as they traveled in silence down the many streets. Jade's eyes were fixated on the road ahead while Liam would cut his gaze between the streets and the agitated goth. This wasn't the first time they'd found themselves in this position (skipping school) but it never got any easier due to their reasons. The tension continued to eat away at them until they finally arrived at the formers home. Despite it being midday, they were grateful that Lucille was understanding enough after seeing the frustration on the teen's faces.

They traversed to the back where Liam's old room resided. Inside, Liam quickly shut the door only to find himself nearly tackled by his friend and partner. Startled and unsure of the cause for this sudden expression of emotion, he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame.

"Um..."

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she clutched at his shirt.

"Yeah... What was that about, anyway? If I didn't know any better, I thought you and Tori were going to tear each other limb from limb."

Hesitantly, Jade pulled away and sat down on the bed.

"I... I don't want to talk about it?" she turned her attention to adjusting her black leather skirt.

He gave her a grin for her honesty, one that was emotionless and blank.

It was clear that they were trying to read one another and yet neither had ever succeeded up to this point. He was used to being an enigma, a book that she was interested in but couldn't unlock the secrets hidden between the lines. In her defense, Jade was like an open book, though a book where the pages were completely out of order and scattered throughout one another. It kept things interesting and fun for the two as they developed a stronger bond ever since their initial meeting.

To Jade, those were enough for her to let herself settle for a grin as well.

"Okay. I won't pry..."

Her grin began to grow.

"...but..."

It began to fall just as fast.

"What?" she eyed him skeptically as his grin only stretched wider.

"I promise not to pry into what happened between you, Tori, and Beck if you go with me to that jazz club tonight, alright?"

She rolled her eyes, albeit playfully.

"Fine..."

Though she huffed at him, there was the unmistakable presence of humor behind it as well. This was a good sign for Liam as he was sure that she was going to snap on him, or... maybe something worse was in store in his mind. Still, he had the opportunity to hang out with his best friend without restrictions, plus they'd both enjoyed their time together last time.

"You know? There are better ways to ask a girl out on a date..."

"Excuse me?" he chocked; clearly he was caught off guard at her statement.

"If you wanted to take me out again, you didn't have to blackmail me into another night out."

Was she serious?

Did Jade consider this as a real date?

Liam couldn't hide his nerves now as he tried to regain his composure. Meanwhile, Jade was busy wiggling her eyebrows as she approached the now anxious boy. From the predatory look in her eyes to the subtle sway in her hips, Liam wasn't sure how to respond. Sure, she and Tori had a big argument about something involving Beck but, they were still a couple.

Right?

He wound up pinned between her and the door, his heartbeat increasing so much, he'd thought he'd have a heart attack as her face inched closer to his. His nose picked up the scent of lavender and honey as she gazed into his eyes with an almost innocent/wounded gaze.

"J-Jade... This isn't f-funny..."

"You're right. It's not funny how my best friend would stoop so low as to trick poor little me into going out with him. I thought we were above that. It was clever but, I would've said yes if you'd just asked."

"I... I... Well, it was just..."

"Just what? Were you scared of me?"

If this was a game, then Jade was winning. It wasn't a secret that Liam found her attractive and even she had to admit that she felt something for him after their forced date, courtesy of Sikowitz.

"I'm sorry...?" he eked out, trying to find his breath and diffuse the spark that could ignite the dynamite.

Jade simply smiled and giggled?

"Don't be. I'm actually impressed by your approach."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Mhmm. I'd be happy to go out tonight."

The two just stood there, one grinning like the Cheshire Cat and the other wearing stupor like a fitted mask. The only thing that broke this moment up was the far off voice of Lucille who mentioned she'd be chaperoning, also mentioning something about 'no nieces or nephews' which resulted in the pair laughing hard.

Later on that night, the trio entered the young adult club, taking in the atmosphere.

Lucille had to admit that they both had good taste in the venue and soon enough, she was off at the bar, leaving both Jade and Liam to their own devices with the promise of keeping an eye on them. The two would start for the balcony area until the former heard the MC mentioning open mic for singers and poets.

That's when she got a brilliant idea...

She turned back around, pulling the bemused along to the stage area.

"Jade, what are you-?"

"Just wait here, dingus!" she laughed softly. "You're gonna like this!"

Liam complied and took a spot along the wall while she went up and began talking to some of the musicians. After a few minutes, she smiled and took the microphone from the stand as the group gathered themselves together.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to someone very special to me. I hope this answers your question."

As the music started, it was definitely a style that Liam wasn't expecting. He thought she would bring out the grunge or punk rocker chick but, so imagine his surprise when a steady R&B song began to play. He watched how she flashed him a soft gaze, one that revealed the softer side that he'd only seen under the most extreme circumstances as she took a deep breath.

**"You're the One" by Dondria**

**Jade:**

**I don't believe that we were put together not to be together**

**And I don't believe there's anyone out there that can love me better**  
**I don't believe that you know how much I miss seeing your pretty smile.**

**Of course, we had our ups and downs**  
**But I gotta have you around me cause**

**Chorus:**

**I feel it all over my body (I feel it all over my body)**  
**I dream about you when I sleep (yea)**  
**You're the one for me (you're the one)**  
**You're the one for me (you're the one)**  
**All the signs say that**  
**Ever since the day that we laid eyes on each other baby**  
**You're the one for me (you're the one)**  
**You're the one for me (hey)**

Liam couldn't help but smile. His mind immediately took him back to his first day at Hollywood Arts and how he and Jade had met. From there, the budding friendship and possessiveness of the goth were both endearing and unexpected. Their connection had been built from a foundation of respect. It was only after the chorus that he found himself staring into the eyes of Jade who did the same.

**Jade:**

**I don't believe that you know how much I melt every time I smell your scent boy**  
**And I don't believe (I don't believe) I got myself in this predicament**  
**I'm sorry (I'm so sorry)**  
**For everything, I ever did wrong**  
**I'm sorry (I'm so sorry)**  
**And I'm begging you, begging you, begging you, baby please come back home**

That haunting moment of them back in Colorado began to surface, but he didn't flinch for fear of missing what would come next. He was glad that he didn't as her eyes shined with an apologetic gaze that burned away any lingering pain in his heart from that moment. He finally realized what this was; this was her apology. She was bearing her heart and soul to him as she passionately sang every note.

**I feel it all over my body (I feel it all over my body)  
I dream about you when I sleep (yea)  
You're the one for me (you're the one)  
You're the one for me (you're the one)  
All the signs say that  
Ever since the day that we laid eyes on each other baby  
You're the one for me (you're the one)  
You're the one for me (hey)**

_She really is a sly fox... _he crossed his arms and smiled the biggest smile she'd ever seen from him. Sure, she knew that he had forgiven her for that act, but, to take in the sight of him smiling back at her the way he did, she couldn't deny the warm feeling in her chest. All that remained was for her to drive the point home as she entered the vamp of the song.

**When I lay in my bed at night  
I'm hoping and praying that you feel the same way that I do deep down inside (inside)  
And that feeling you just can't control  
It makes you wanna just call me  
And tell me how much you really miss me  
It makes you wanna call me  
And say that you can't wait to hold and kiss me, kiss me all over**

Then it finally hit Liam as she whipped her hair in rhythm as she sang every high note with vigor as if truly admitting her feelings for him. But, why now? What did she have to gain from this confession?

**I feel it all over my body (I feel it all over my body)  
I dream about you when I sleep (yea)  
You're the one for me (you're the one)  
You're the one for me (you're the one)**

She signaled him to come on stage with a pleading look in her teal orbs. Accepting her invitation, he walked into the spotlight as she approached him in concert. Neither could tear their eyes from the other as she and the back-up finished up the song.

**All the signs say that  
Ever since the day that we laid eyes on each other baby  
You're the one for me (you're the one)  
You're the one for me **

"Honey, I think I'm done..." she set the mic down and took his hand into her own, intertwining their fingers.

Confusion once again appeared on his features coupled with the slight hue of red on his cheeks that was thankfully hidden to the world by his locs. Of course, Jade could see it as clear as day which only fueled her drive at this point. Behind his stare, she saw the question he'd been wondering ever since her improv earlier that day.

"Jade, are you...?"

"Yes, dummy," she smiled softly.

She then sealed the moment when she leaned in. Instinctively, he mirrored her gesture, moving in as if they were in slow motion. Even without words, they both knew the truth at this point; she didn't have to explain to him at this point. Whatever happened in terms of details, she and Beck weren't an item anymore. The exercise during class was Jade outing him and Tori for something that could only be assumed as cheating or a change of heart on the former's part.

Either way, he was not only free to see where this would go but, he was more than certain that Jade was willing to share that journey with him.

Unfortunately, a loud bang caused the two to cease their attempt as the area around them began to rumble suddenly.

"What the hell?!" she uttered, holding onto Liam's jacket.

"Oh no..."

While the crowd began to run out in fear, the duo rushed over to the balcony area, each of them sensing a powerful burst of energy. However, unlike what they were used to. The only demonic presence felt was a familiar one; Lucille's. However, this other presence had the opposite effect as it was light and airy yet, it possessed its own brand of power.

When they reached their destination, Liam and Jade immediately noticed the bright aura of whoever was clashing with his sister.

"What is that?" Jade asked, watching as Lucille and the mystery opponent exchanged punches.

Each blow resulted in a thunderous sound that echoed throughout the city. To matters even worse, there was no barrier to shield them from the eyes of any onlookers, only the surrounding buildings. It was only when the two reached a stalemate, albeit momentarily, that Liam managed to make out the identity of the person trying to attack.

The dark-skinned woman held her own against the mythical being as she narrowly dodged a slash from her sword.

"Serenity?" he looked on in terror, catching both of the women's attention.

**"Liam, run! Get out of here!"**

"So, that's the name you're going by?" Serenity scoffed. "She'll be pleased to see you nonetheless regardless of what you call yourself."

With this split second, Lucille spun around, whipping her challenger with her tail. The hit sent the celestial into the ground, forming a deep crater as a result. For the time being, Lucille had won. Meanwhile, Jade could only watch as Liam's eyes seemed to widen more and more by the second. She tried pulling on his arm to snap him out of the trance-like state but it did nothing.

"Liam?"

"Why is she here?" he whispered, his voice quivering.

"None of that matters right now. We need to get out of here!"

"That means that SHE has to be here too..."

"She? Who are you talking about?" Jade stood in front of him, finally drawing his horror-stricken gaze to her. "Who are you talking about?"

"That would be me, child..."

Jade turned around only to nearly be blinded by a massive beam of light, rivaling the sun itself. The three tried their best to shield their eyes from the dazzling rays until the owner of the majestic and regal voice finally appeared before them. Upon seeing the woman standing before them all, Liam finally managed to regain his bearings, narrowing his eyes at the calm being.

She merely smiled gently at the boy who now bore his fangs at her. Her eyes shined with a golden gaze as her flawless dark skin crinkled from the facial gesture.

"Atsura..."

"Mother..."

"It's good to finally see you, my child."

He said nothing. The sudden burst of amethyst flames in his glare stated that the feelings were not mutual. He kept a defensive stance with Jade safely behind him, silently watching the scene unfolding before her. What started as a mutual confession of feelings had now spiraled into a family feud.

**"What are you doing here, mother?"** he hissed flexing just a fraction of his demonic powers as a warning.

"It seems the years have done little to quell that temper of yours," she replied stoically. "Still, we'll discuss that later. As for me being here, I'd think it was clear. I'm here to take you back home so that you can take your rightful place..."

**"I want nothing to do with it!"** he roared.

The woman simply sighed in disappointment at his declaration yet, she only turned her back to them, making the teens ponder what her next move would be.

" I had hoped that your time away would've helped you to realize the error of your actions back then but, it seems, as usual, the only thing you will listen to is a forceful hand. It seems that you've left me no choice, Atsura."

Before he could ask what she meant, the sounds of chains rang in his ear followed by two screams. Turning around, he found both a humanized Lucille and Jade struggling to keep the links from cutting into their necks as another valkyrie appeared out of nowhere dangling them in midair with a stone face on his face. Seeing the perilous predicament they were in, Liam didn't hesitate to unleash the full extent of his powers.

Everyone watched as two horns, thick as a ram, twisted as they jutted from his head. His orbs shifted to full out golden amber, blazing with furious wrath as his canines grew in length. With the most hideous of howls, the wolf demon locked his sights on his mother. While the male valkyrie and Serenity looked on in astonishment at the power being exhibited, the older woman didn't even flinch at the vengeful monster, choosing only to look over her shoulders at him in pity.

**"LET THEM GO!"**

"Or else what?" her tone grew cold. "While I care nothing for the demon who assisted in your rebellious nature, I'd rather not harm the human. However, that doesn't mean I won't do it if I have to."

**"I SAID, LET THEM GO! NOW!"**

"Only if you agree to come back with me, Atsura. Their fates rest in your decision, son."

Liam could only look at the precarious situation with anger and guilt. Every part of him was conflicted. Lucille, the one person who truly loved and protected him since he was little was practically expendable and Jade? He would never forgive himself if she ever got hurt. As his body trembled, he clenched his fists and growled in frustration.

Slowly he began to turn back to his human form out of resignation.

No matter what he tried to come up with, there was only one option. With tears threatening to spill out, he

"Ok."

"What?"

"I'll go with you...!" he answered, dropping to his knees. "Just please let them go."

Seeing the boy in such a submissive posture, the woman's golden gems closed in understanding. If she truly was his mother, she didn't find any pleasure in his pain but, that didn't mean that she couldn't savor the overall victory. She lifted her right hand and snapped her fingers. The unknown male nodded dutifully and lifted the chain that was wrapped around Lucille's neck only to launch her into the very crater that once housed the slightly hurt Celestial, Serenity.

The force of the impact was enough to knock her out cold.

"There. I've released that wretched demon..."

"What about Jade?" he pleaded.

"She will be coming with us, of course."

"What?! That wasn't a part of the deal!"

The woman smirked confidently before stretching her hand out to her rambunctious spawn, knocking him off of the balcony and right into the fists of Serenity. The blow connected with the back of his neck, knocking him out instantly, much to Jade's horror. She didn't have much time to digest what was happening as another mass of light appeared behind her while the woman walked back her, seemingly leading the way to the entryway.

"My dear, I don't know what Atsura sees in you but as long as you hold value to him, you had value to me." She clutched the chains restricting her airflow while the other length of iron bonds were wrapped around the unconscious body of her friend and now confessed crush. "All that I ask is for your cooperation and your life will be spared."

"Who... ack... Who are you?"

"Who am I?" she eyed the girl before walking through the illuminated tunnel. "My name is Celeste De Grande and I am the queen of the light realm in Nevermore."

_Queen?_

That was the last thought Jade would have before finding herself knocked unconscious as well.

"Load them both in the carriage when we arrive. We're going home."

"Yes, Queen Celeste!" the two warriors proclaimed as they all entered the gateway to Nevermore, leaving only a semi-conscious Lucille to fathom a simple reality upon her awakening:

Liam and Jade were captured.

* * *

**Author's Note**

**First, let me say that this was a long chapter but, it was well worth it! I thank you all for your support of this fiction. Secondly, I'm going to try and finish "Kiss of a Succubus" as well. I simply ran into a big case of writer's block which led to me doing this story in the first place. I'll also be working on another fiction that will be what I originally planned for 'Demons Within" to be with Trina & Liam. It'll be set in a more fantasy world so it'll have no connection to the Demons series.**

**Anyway, the Nevermore Arc will center around Liam and Jade during their time in Nevermore after being captured. I'll be working to expound on the world itself and as such, I'll need to keep things tight on the main two with minor diversions within the human world with Lucille and others who are necessary to the story.**

**For now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and be on the look out for the next one.**


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